Ben, You Ignorant Slut
by JJJJ12
Summary: Shorts inspired by 'The Office'. 1: Rey sits across from irritating salesman Ben. To complete a prank, she sends him a love letter hoping to turn his world upside down. 2: Awkward salesman Ben Solo is in love with Rey, the receptionist. Too bad she's engaged. 3: Ben renews his affair with his married co-worker and ex, Rey. Things are normal until he meets her son-big ears and all.
1. The Feuding Salesmen

"LUKE!"

The soft clanging of keyboards, the murmurs of important phone calls, and the gentle scratching of pens against paper ceased.

Only the comforting hum of the coffee machine was audible, but even that sound was muted by the panting of a certain employee.

With a huff of frustration, Luke Skywalker strolled out of his office, a mug in his tired hands. He glanced at his two best salespeople and muttered to himself.

"What now?" Luke asked, his voice tinged with irritation, "It's too early in the morning for this."

From her desk, Rey couldn't help but roll her eyes. She loved Luke as a boss—sure, he was erratic and easily distracted—but sometimes he was a bit melodramatic.

Especially since it was almost noon.

She already saw Luke place his lunch order.

But before she could give a snide remark to Luke about the time and his third cup of coffee, Ben beat her to the punch.

"LUKE! Maybe for once you could discipline your fucking employees!" Ben hissed, jumping from his desk so quickly that his computer and coffee mug rattled on the surface, "I know _Rey_ is your favorite," He spit out, his eyes angry, "But this is getting out of hand!"

Rey rolled her eyes and glanced at her desk mate, as impassive as ever. "Wow, chill out Ben. Or I'll accuse Luke of nepotism."

Luke sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "Alright you two, relax. Let's get something straight—Rey is not my favorite and I most certainly did not hire Ben because he is my nephew."

"He hired me because I'm the best salesperson in the office," Ben bit back, glancing at Rey with irritated eyes, "My numbers destroy yours."

Rey yawned and opened a Buzzfeed quiz, now focused on her monitor. "Mhm, so you've reminded me about thirty times Solo. But my bedside manner obliterates yours. Your clients hate you."

Luke yawned and waved his hands. "Enough. Ben, what's got you so riled up?" He glanced at his nephew, clearly bored to tears, "We all have work to do."

With a growl, Ben produced his pen cup. But instead of pens, the company mug was filled jumbo sized crayons.

"Do you see this?" Ben hissed, before producing one of the large crayons, the pink sparkles transferring to his hands, "Look what she does! You know how particular I am about my pens!"

Rey couldn't help but smirk. She knew he was.

Ben Solo was…

Well, frankly Rey didn't know how to describe her co-worker. When she started working at Resistance Electronics, the friendly receptionist Rose had warned her about the boss's nephew.

He was moody, prone to temper tantrums, and overall, a pain in the ass to deal with.

But, perhaps worst of all, he was good at his job.

Like, ridiculously good.

Like he sold more computers, televisions, and assorted electronics to businesses than anyone else in the entire state of Connecticut.

Granted, it wasn't a huge state, but it was still significant.

Rey knew only a few things about Ben outside of his tense relationship with his Uncle.

For starters, he played with his hair when he was frustrated. He wore glasses with a prescription so strong that Rey wondered how he could see at all. He had amazing handwriting and used only calligraphy grade pens to fill out any paperwork.

He seemed to enjoy playing video games and reading science fiction novels.

He had few friends in the office, except for occasionally sharing polite conversations with one of the chief accountants, Armitage Hux.

Rey wasn't entirely sure, but she thought the two of them played D&D together.

Or something like that.

Luke snorted and grabbed the crayon from Ben, eying the wax with contempt. He quickly cracked the crayon and tossed it into the trash.

"Ben, really? All the fuss about some crayons? And what makes you think Rey did this?" Luke glanced at Rey, offering her a kind smile, "Does that seem like something our sweet Rey would do?"

Suddenly, the crayons were thrown across the floor, Ben letting out an angry yell in the process.

"That's not just it!" Ben growled, before focusing on his monitor and swiftly opening an email, "LOOK AT THIS!"

Luke sighed and leaned over his nephew, glancing at the offending picture.

Embedded in an email sent to the entire office was a beautifully designed meme.

Specifically, one of Slytherin legend Severus Snape, decked out in his typical black robes, his wand held out angrily.

But instead of Alan Rickman's face was Ben's (albeit badly photoshopped), set into a deep scowl.

Below the image read:

_**Am I douchebag, even after all this time?**_

_**Always.**_

From behind Ben, Luke let out a snort. "Oh, that's funny. Who is that supposed to be? Henry Butcher?"

Rey shook her head quickly. "No, no, Luke. Don't be silly. It's Dumbledore. The main villain in the Henry Butcher movies."

Ben growled and jumped up, rattling his desk enough that coffee spilled over his mug. "Dumbledore is not the villain in Harry Potter!"

"Shoot, you're right. It's Gandalf—he finds out Harry is his son in the tenth book," Rey responded with a smile, "What a goof."

Luke nodded in understanding. "Which book do they find the rings?"

"Um, six I think?" Rey glanced at Ben, who proceeded to shoot her daggers, "Or maybe it's eleven."

Her boss grinned. "That's the one with the lightsabers?"

With a roar, Ben slammed his fists against the desk. "SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!" He glanced at his Uncle, his dark locks falling into his eyes, "She's making a mockery of me and sending it to the entire fucking office!"

Luke whistled and wagged his finger. "Language, Ben. And that email wasn't from Rey. It was

from…" He glanced back at the monitor, "King Sunshine."

"That's Rey!" Ben exclaimed, waving his hands frantically, "Her name means fucking King in Spanish! And her stupid friends call her Sunshine!"

With a purse of his lips, Luke glanced at Rey. "Is this true, Rey?"

She smirked and looked back to Ben, enjoying the red of his cheeks and the way his erratic breathing caused his chest to puff out.

"Yes, I sent the email. But it was in good fun—Ben is a huge Henry Butcher fan!" Rey explained, grinning at her boss.

Luke nodded. "I see. Okay, well, innocent enough. Just move on Ben."

The squawk that escaped Ben's lips made her laugh. She simply grinned. "Perfect. Shall we get back to work?"

"Are you kidding me?" Ben basically shrieked, looking between his Uncle and Rey, "She literally called me a douchebag!"

Rey grinned and nudged Luke. "It's the new hip slang—we've reclaimed it. Like bitch."

"Ah! I love learning new slang—Rey, you wanna make me a list?" Luke asked, before walking backwards to his office, "I love learning new things from my wonderful employees!"

And then, before his door shut, he glanced at Ben. "Just grab some pens from the mailroom and ease up, bud."

As soon as the door shut, Rey leaned back, a grin painted across her lips. Ben merely stared at her, his mouth agape.

"You fucking suck," Ben hissed out, dropping to his seat with a growl, "You're only allowed to act like a child because Luke loves you. Likes to pretend you're the child he never had."

Rey hummed and focused on her Buzzfeed quiz. "Right, right, duh. Hey, what's your spirit animal? A tiger, a puppy, a lion, or a snake?"

He narrowed his eyes, his jaw twitching as he stared at her. "You're not going to get away with this. I'm going to burn you to the fucking ground."

"Okay. Snake it is. Favorite color?" She glanced at his black button down and black slacks,

"Right, black, duh."

Ben growled and tried to lean over her desk, desperate to see her computer monitor. "What are you doing?"

She bit her lip, continuing her clicking. "Hmm. _Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter_, or _The Hunger Games_?" At the nasty glare he gave her, she clicked, "Right, _Lord of the Rings_, duh."

He ran a frantic hand through his hair. "Oh? And what makes you so sure about that?"

Rey shrugged and scrolled down. "Dunno. Saw you reading _The Hobbit_ during lunch. Saw that little goblin dude on your keychain," She yawned and glanced at him, "Oh, and your computer password is SMAUGTHEDRAGON but with zero for the o."

Ben stared at her, mouth agape. He cleared his throat and looked away. "Right. And he's not a little goblin dude. His name is Gollum."

"No, no, it's definitely a goblin. Dobby, I think!" She shot back, before sipping her coffee, "Oh! Last question. Favorite sex position? Missionary, cowgirl, doggie style, or 69?"

His wide eyes were quite striking on his pale face, like bursts of hot fudge on a scoop of vanilla ice cream. An audible swallow escaped his lips, causing a rather noticeable shaking of his Adam's apple. With another shaky hand through his hair, Ben appeared to force himself to speak.

"Excuse me?" He practically choked out, staring at Rey with those terrified eyes, "What are you—"

Rey groaned and leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. She hummed, watching Ben curiously. "I said: What's your favorite sex position?"

Ben swallowed and pulled at his collar. "I refuse to answer that. Who do you think you are, asking me such personal questions—"

"I'm torn, actually," Rey interrupted, glancing between him and her computer monitor, "Part of me thinks it could be any of the four."

Another squawk escaped his lips. "I demand you stop—"

"Because, like, you're super plain and vanilla, so missionary seems like the obvious answer," Rey explained, bringing her favorite pen to her lips and nibbling on the edge, "But I also feel like you'd love being dominated by a chick, so then obviously it'd be cowgirl."

Ben cleared his throat. "Rey," He growled out, his deep voice a warning, "I will not—"

Rey hummed and held up her hand. "But, then part of me thinks since you're obviously a control freak, you'd prefer doggie style."

"Rey, so help me god, I will file an HR report—"

She nibbled again on the pen. "But, since you are weird, you may be a closet freak and like love 69._ But_ maybe you're one of those guys who are too scared to eat a woman out."

Ben just stared at her, mouth agape.

With a hum of delight, Rey clicked her mouth and glanced at him. "Ultimately, I just went with missionary. Since I imagine you're a 'three thrusts and done' type," She pursed her lips and shrugged, "Assuming you're having any sex at all."

Suddenly, his stare had her on edge.

Messing around with him didn't seem so fun.

"What was this quiz for?" Ben asked instead, his voice deep with contempt.

Rey smirked. "Which _Harry Potter_ character are you? Newsflash: You got Snape."

His eye twitched. "You didn't answer all the questions correctly."

"Oh?" That got her attention, "Is this when you give me a lecture about how black isn't a color?"

Ben's gaze was intense.

Almost intense as his voice.

"No."

Rey sighed and began to click through the quiz options. "Right. Well, what next? Where to take your next vacation? Perhaps what type of liquor you are?"

"Missionary is not my favorite sex position." Ben provided instead, staring at her with that unnerving gaze, "So maybe you don't know as much about me as you seem to think."

While his comment briefly left her in a shock, Rey was quick on her feet and smirked. "Is it not? Then what is?"

"Why should I tell you?" He asked instead, any pretenses of making sales abandoned, "You claim to be so smart. You had a twenty-five percent chance of getting it right and yet you didn't."

She couldn't help but snort. "Okay, fine, Solo. Why don't you tell me mine? What's my favorite sex position?"

He cleared his throat and leaned backwards, straining the cheap material of his wheeled desk chair. Rey wondered how the plastic back even withheld his massive size—surely it was close to breaking.

"I could make an argument for all of them. You rarely do your work here, so I don't see why you'd put any work into sex. Therefore: missionary," He yawned and ran a hand through his hair, looking thoughtful, "_But_, you're also desperate for attention, so cowgirl would be a natural fit."

Rey sneered. "Right, well what's your answer—"

He held up his hand. "Then again, you really need someone to show you who's boss. So doggie style could work," He rubbed at his chin, clearly thinking his answer through, "But ultimately, the one that really trips me up is 69."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah? And why is that?"

"Because I have two thoughts," He was quick to explain, "The first being that you probably think you're too good to give head so 69 would have to be out of the picture."

Rey snorted. "Oh, sod off—"

"But, I think you love being eaten out," He explained, his voice going low as he watched her, "In fact, I'd say your favorite position isn't listed." His eyes dropped to look over her body, before meeting her gaze, "Yours is simply laying back and being eaten out."

Rey swallowed, unable to prevent the blush from traveling up her features. And before she could speak, Ben was quick to add another hit.

"You're a pillow princess through and through."

They stared at each other, only the sounds of co-workers phones ringing and the soft clatter of computer keys breaking through the tense silence.

"Am I right?" Ben continued, watching her intensely, before following with, "Actually, no need to confirm. I know I'm right. And I also know you probably haven't gotten to do so in quite a long time."

Her eyes narrowed. Rey momentarily scolded herself for hypocrisy—how was him pushing her any different than her pushing him?

And yes, who the hell did he think he was suggesting that she did nothing during sex _and_ that she hadn't been fucked in ages?

But more importantly, how the hell did he manage to nail both details so accurately?

"Okay then," Rey exclaimed, her hands shaking in frustration, "And how about you? There's no way you've been fucked probably since Palpatine was in office!"

He pursed his lips. "How old do you think I am? Do you think I was sexually active in 2004? I was 13, Rey."

She shrugged and began to furiously click through another quiz she barely registered. "Well, whatever. Point is, there's no way you've gotten any action besides your hand and probably some weird hentai blowup sex doll."

"And somehow, I imagine you're no different, Princess. The only guy you hang with is getting more dick than you've gotten in your entire life."

Rey gasped and shoved her mouse away. "Don't you dare talk about Finn like that!"

Ben shrugged. "I didn't realize me saying he was fucking his boyfriend was disrespectful."

Unable to help herself, Rey began to nervously play with the stress ball on her desk, a habit she had gotten into since she started at Resistance a few years prior. After allowing herself a few moments of distraction, she glanced back to Ben.

"Let's get back to the original conversation, Solo. What's your position?" She hissed, hating the smirk painted across his lips.

Ben chuckled and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Best angle is always from behind." He yawned and rubbed at his jaw, still watching her, "New theory. You like being a pillow princess because you've never been fucked properly."

Rey growled. "Oh, aren't you full of yourself? As if a man that spends more time yelling at co-workers and trashing leftovers out of the shared fridge than being a human being knows _anything_ about being fucked properly."

He raised an eyebrow. "I happen to be a hit with the ladies. The same can't be said about you and men."

"Oh, bullshit!" She squeaked, waving her hands, "I've never once seen you with a woman besides your mother! In fact, the woman you probably see the most is…" She groaned and shook her head, "Me."

Ben shrugged. "I get plenty of inquiries. I'm just particular."

"About what exactly? She needs to also be a mega jackass?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not entirely sure that's any of your business." He shifted in his seat and narrowed his eyes, "And what exactly is your excuse, huh? Why aren't you playing the field then?"

She crossed her arms and looked away, frustrated by his question. It's not like Rey had an answer for that. Why wasn't she dating? Why wasn't she being fucked on a nightly basis?

It was anyone's guess.

Rey's was ridiculously high standards and a dependence on her favorite vibrator.

Or, her personal favorite excuse was blaming Ben.

How could she possibly have the energy to find a guy to fuck after nine excruciating hours a day in his irritating presence?

Dealing with Ben Solo was a job in and of itself, let alone actually selling cheap electronics like she was supposed to.

Because if she didn't teach him a lesson, who would? It wasn't like her fellow salesmen were of any use. Maz spent prime selling hours knitting, only skirting by from clients she sweettalked when Resistance still sold fax machines, and Ackbar was more interested in sudoku and crossword puzzles than actually selling computers.

So that left Rey. And sure, she could probably knock Ben down a few pegs if she actually just put her effort into selling things—that effort would probably help pay off her student loans faster—but she much preferred playing pranks on the moron.

And Ben was a moron. In a frustratingly smart sort of way.

But she was still able to fool the man into thinking Marvel was interested in buying an original comic of his.

That was a fun prank.

It beat the stapler in jell-o.

That wasn't her most original one.

She had stolen it from an old British comedy.

Ben was quick to point that out—after his angry tirade of course.

Rey shook her head and focused on her computer. "My excuse is I'm not interested in dating right now. Not that it's any of_ your_ business."

The laugh that escaped his lips nearly had her falling out of her chair. Hearing him laugh was such an unlikely occurrence that it actually stole her breath away.

"Or maybe you're into someone who's not into you?" He probed, a knowing look across his irritated features, "Let me guess. It's Hux."

Rey actually gagged at the mention of the accountant. "I'm not even going to give that suggestion the time of day. In fact, maybe you should—"

But her words were cut off as his phone rang. With another piercing glare, he picked up his phone.

"Ben Solo," He grabbed a notebook and began to nod, "I'm so happy your Boston office loves their hardware. Approximately how many machines would we be ordering for your Hartford location?"

Rey cursed and looked back to her computer, suddenly in even more of a sour mood. They were in the middle of a perfectly good fight and not only does he just get to end it, but the bloody fool makes a sale!

A large one too, just based on what she was hearing.

Suddenly, she was in the mood for a big prank. Especially after the prick called her a pillow princess. She was perfectly happy to put in hard work where it was deserved.

It just so happened so the few men she had slept with in her life were _not_ deserving of her devoted attention.

And so Rey nibbled on the edge of her pen, staring at Ben taking his phone call, wondering what perfect prank she could execute next.

Then, it hit her.

He claimed to be a hit with the ladies.

She planned to test just how comfortable he was.

With a grin, she opened a word document and got to work.

On the prank, of course. Not her job.

As if.

**-x-x-x-**

After two days of careful planning, Rey had the perfect prank in motion.

It was simple. At approximately 10:15am, Ben would receive a mysterious box. Inside, he'd find a cupcake with the "One does not simply" meme, this time declaring that one does not simply fall in love.

And then he'd find the carefully written love letter, going into intimate details about his smoky eyes and luscious hair.

Rey giggled just thinking about it. Granted, she could have given him a very generic love letter, but she got swept into describing the honey flecks in his eyes and the way his hair curled around his massive ears when the office got too hot.

It was a great love letter. Rey's first, admittedly, but she was delirious with excitement for what would come next.

The note ended with the instructions to meet his mystery lover in the warehouse behind the printers at approximately five o'clock that evening.

There, he'd discover his mystery lover was in fact a blow-up anime girl.

Rey thought it was hilarious.

And to her delight, after approximately two hours and fifteen minutes of Ben making more sales than she probably would that week, said box arrived. The delivery man was ushered in and out by Rose, the sweet receptionist, and Rey was trying her best to stay focused on the expense report she was filling out for Luke.

"Ben?" Rose's sing song voice exclaimed, "You have a package!"

Muttering something about not ordering anything, Ben rose to his feet and trudged his way to the front desk, quickly accepting the box. Rey watched as he looked it over, clearly searching for any indication of where the box came from or who sent it.

After abandoning that task, Ben simply stared at it, his face twisted in a scowl. Rey groaned and looked at him.

"Why are you looking at that like it bloody murdered your puppy or something?" She asked, before signing her name to the expense form, "It's too early for your pissy face."

Ben scowled at her and poked the box. "I'm simply being cautious. For all I know, this thing could be filled with explosives. Or anthrax."

"Right. And who would send Ben Solo, electronics salesman, anthrax in the mail?"

He looked her up and down. "You, for starters."

Rey pinched her nose. She should have known he'd put up a fight. "First of all, if I were going to kill you, it would certainly be a lot more creative than bloody anthrax. Second, if you're such a pussy cat, I'll open it myself."

With a growl, he tore open the cardboard, clearly not a fan of her teasing. "I can handle a little anthrax."

She watched, nibbling on her lip, as he first pulled out the smaller cupcake box. He glanced into the familiar pink packaging of their local bakery, eyeing the cake with trepidation, before clearly spotting the meme tapped to the box.

To Rey's astonishment and delight, he _smiled._

With another glance into the box, he clearly spotted the letter and pulled it out. He looked over the careful folding of the white sheet, his cheeks flushed a shade of pink Rey wasn't used to.

She couldn't help but ask. "What is it? Anthrax?"

Ben glanced at her and narrowed his eyes. "None of your business."

"Is that a cupcake from Mos's? Can I have it? I haven't had breakfast and that would make my day," She explained, purposely withholding the fact that she ate three cupcakes yesterday when she scoped out Mos's selection and roped their deliveryman into the ordeal.

He merely glared at her before glancing back at the letter. With careful hands, he opened the paper and began to read.

Rey desperately tried to focus on her work, knowing if she paid too much attention to him, she'd make herself suspicious.

Besides, she went out of her way to put touches of the other women in the office to throw off the scent of the prank.

She sprayed the letter with rose water, Rose's usual perfume. She pressed a kiss to the paper, using a very similar shade of pink that Jessika from human resources normally wore. Picking Mos's wasn't just for convenience—it just so happened that Kaydel's Uncle owned the bakery. And last but not least, Bazine was known as the Meme Queen at their office, meaning her inclusion of the meme wasn't just for hilarity sake.

Rey assumed Ben wouldn't think Maz, in her sixties, or Phasma, a lesbian, would be sending him love letters.

And she figured he knew she certainly never would.

Once she was satisfied with her expense report, she finally looked back to Ben, expecting to see the package pushed aside, forgotten in his haste to return to work. He typically chastised her for wasting company time by taking Buzzfeed quizzes or chatting with Rose, a large contrast to his constant 8 to 5 mentality.

But instead of frantically making sales calls or filling out expense reports, he just stared at the letter, his large hands holding the paper with the most delicate touch she had never seen.

She watched, practically in a trance as he brought a finger to gently trace the corner of the paper, the exact place Rey had pressed her lips the evening before.

"Whatcha reading?" She couldn't help but ask, pausing to take a sip of coffee, "Did you write another letter to the editor? You need to chill out on those. Journalists don't make much money."

But Ben simply ignored her, his eyes still locked on the sheet in front of him, his finger delicately tracing the imprint of her lips.

For some bizarre reason, his gentle caressing of the paper had her heart nearly beating out of her chest.

Rey cleared her throat and simply nodded, deciding she should just focus on her work.

She wasn't sure what she had expected when he read the letter—clearly, she needed him affected for the prank to work.

But with another glance at Ben, she found her palms sweating. The softness of his eyes and gentle upturn of his mouth was something new.

Suddenly, she wondered if she had gone too far.

"If you're so interested," His deep voice explained, breaking through her muddled thoughts, "I'm just reading proof of yet again how irresistible I am."

Rey sighed.

Never mind.

She was totally within her right.

This would be her best prank yet.

**-x-x-x-**

Rey momentarily forgot about her love letter prank by noon. One of her clients called to order new monitors—fifty of them—meaning Rey's rather slow October had just gotten a rather beautiful commission.

And god knew she needed it. Recently, she picked up the Postmates habit, leading to a two-pound weight gain and scary numbers in her bank account.

She was again reminded of how much money she could make if she simply did her job. Unfortunately, despite the numbers and endless proof, nothing incentivized her more than irritating Ben Solo.

When she strolled towards the break room, intent on purchasing a bag of chips and a Dr. Pepper, she was reminded of her glorious prank, especially at the sound of his deep voice conversing with Hux.

That was unique—while Hux was probably his closest friend in the office, he still typically at alone. Rey made the quick decision to hide, knowing whatever they were discussing was probably about the letter. She ducked under a bordering desk, her head peaking out to look through the open doorway, nibbling on her thumb nail as she listened in.

"—_your whisky colored eyes make me positively weak in my knees. When we speak, and I get the chance to stare into them, I find myself hypnotized by the flecks of honey and gold. I'm captivated. Lost. Forever a goner when I stare into your beautiful eyes, wondering if you'll ever look at me and think the same_."

Hux cleared his throat and slid over the letter. "Wow," He began, before sipping his Kombucha, "That was… wow. When you said love letter, I assumed you meant 'roses are red, violets are blue' bullshit."

Ben carefully folded the letter and tucked it into his jacket, his cheeks still a soft pink. "I know," He began, his voice rather soft, "I couldn't believe it when I read it either."

"It's incredibly romantic," Hux continued, pausing to take a bite of his salad, "Truly written by someone with feelings for you."

Rey almost snorted but remembered the importance of silence during reconnaissance.

Ben merely shrugged and began to play with the crust of his sandwich. "You really think so?"

"Most definitely! Ben, whoever this is was waxing poetically about the color of your eyes. That's…" He fanned himself and smirked, "That's someone who is mad about you."

With a bite of his sandwich, Ben nodded. "Right. Mad about me. Okay."

Hux grinned. "Who do you think it is?"

The question seemed to catch Ben off guard. He cleared his throat and glanced at the table, considering his words. "I thought it…" He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, a nervous tick Rey immediately recognized, "Never mind. It was dumb. I have no idea."

"Is there anyone you want it to be?"

Ben cleared his throat, continuing to play with his discarded crust. "I…" He paused before shaking his head. "No."

Hux hummed and finished his salad, his face thoughtful. "Well. I have two initial thoughts," He explained, glancing towards his lunch mate, "My first is Rose. I mean, it smells like her_ and_ you got a cupcake. Come on, doesn't a cupcake just scream Rose?"

Chewing on his sandwich, Ben nodded. "Oh, yeah. Maybe it's Rose." He bit his lip and shifted in his chair. "But uh, who's your other guess?"

"Bazine. The kiss? The meme? It all screams Bazine."

Rey couldn't help but notice the way Ben's face fell. But that frown was wiped away with a bite of sandwich.

"Cool. Rose or Bazine, then. I guess I'll see tonight."

Hux grinned and smacked his back. "Best of luck to you, man!"

When the pair finally disappeared from the break room, Rey got herself a bag a chips, a Dr. Pepper, and a package of donuts.

Suddenly, she was in desperate need of sugar.

**-x-x-x-**

As the day got later and later, she couldn't help but feel like something was up. For starters, Ben was looking at her.

Like, a lot.

She briefly wondered if he was going to use his seemingly nervous energy to antagonize her, or perhaps even ask a question about women.

But instead, he just stared.

And his eyes weren't his usual cold, angry gaze.

They were…

Soft.

Suddenly, it was Rey feeling nervous.

Clearly, he was onto her.

She cursed and began to type away furiously, desperate to think of how else she could throw off his scent. He was clearly watching her, just waiting for her to make a mistake and prove that this was all a prank.

Meeting his gaze, she grabbed her phone and frantically typed in the phone number listed on her screen.

"Hi, I'd like to make a reservation for four tonight under Johnson," Rey bit her lip, watching him carefully, "For five o'clock."

She practically smirked as Ben looked away, his lips twitching on his face, as if he wasn't sure how to react. In fact, she thought she may have even seen him frown.

With the drop of the phone, she leaned back, quite satisfied with her quick thinking. Sure, she and three other people would never show up for that reservation, but now Ben was thrown off the scent.

And if his stupid frown was any indication, he was clearly peeved to realize his immediate thoughts were wrong. This wasn't a prank.

Except it was.

Rey grinned.

Three more hours.

-x-x-x-

At approximately 4:58, Rey sneakily walked through the warehouse, hidden behind the vast wall of computers. In her arms, she held the massive blow-up doll, willing herself not to giggle with the absurdity of her entire prank. Even she couldn't believe she actually purchased said doll.

Now her Amazon recommendations were beyond bizarre.

Rey hurried towards the aisle of printers, the same place her letter had instructed Ben to meet his mystery lady. And as she reared the corner, still hidden behind boxes, she saw him.

But what she saw had her stopping abruptly. Because the Ben waiting against the shelves was not the Ben Solo she knew.

No, this Ben Solo had done something with his hair. This Ben Solo had changed out of his god awful short-sleeved button downs, instead wearing a crisp white one with a blood red tie.

This Ben Solo was holding a bouquet of pink lilies so large that they actually dwarfed his massive hands.

And while she normally would have fixated on his styled hair or new clothes, she kept going back to the flowers.

He knew.

Fuck.

With a curse, she stormed forward, appearing below the fluorescent lights, her lips in a scowl. Ben's eyes immediately landed on her, his lips twitching into a smile.

"Rey…." He began, suddenly looking nervous, "I—" He stopped, however, now noticing the inflated plastic woman she dragged behind her, "What's that?"

She snorted and tossed it at his feet. "Well, you figured it out, so there's no reason to even finish my bloody prank!" She cursed and shook her head, watching as his face dropped, "Oh, don't get all upset now! I'll give you your props."

Quickly zipping up her jacket, given how cold the warehouse always was, she continued her babbling. "I mean, I must admit, clever to try to turn the prank on me! But did you really think I'd believe it if you pretended to be interested in me?" She laughed and shook her head, her eyes dropping to the flowers in his hand, "Come on, lilies? Who told you those were my favorite? Rose?"

Ben swallowed and clutched the flowers closer to his chest. He looked at the concrete floor. "Right. Well then, sorry I ruined your perfectly executed prank," He spat out, still staring at the ground, "And I didn't need to ask anyone."

Rey rolled her eyes. "Come on, then. How did you figure out it was me? Did you pull out your amateur detective set and take some fingerprints? Run a language diagnostic test to see who the letter most sounded like? Call up Mos's and—"

"Rey," He gritted out, cutting off her questioning, "You win, ok?" His voice dropped an octave, before he held out the flowers. "Just take these."

She wanted to argue but was silenced by the look on his face. In all the years of seeing an angry Ben Solo, she had never seen him look so…

Well, she didn't really have words for it. If anything, his face made her stomach flip. Suddenly, she felt sort of sick.

She took the flowers, unable to stop herself from bringing them to her nose. She took a cautious sniff and glanced back at him, surprised to see him watching her with cold eyes.

"You win," He mumbled again, diverting his eyes to the floor.

Then, he was gone, disappearing within the warehouse with long legged strides.

As Rey quietly returned to her car, the flowers clutched to her chest, she realized a sad fact.

No man had ever purchased her flowers before today.

It took a prank for a man to do so.

**-x-x-x-**

The following day, Rey strolled in about fifteen minutes late, preparing to regal Luke and a surely antagonistic Ben with a long-winded story about her neighbor's cat getting stuck in a tree. In reality, she had simply put her alarm on snooze too many times, given how difficult of a time she had the previous night falling asleep.

For some reason, every time she closed her eyes, she saw his brown eyes staring into hers.

When she did eventually fall asleep, at probably four in the morning, only the soft fragrance of a bushel of lilies willed her to a peaceful slumber.

She knew today would be weird from that alone, but her fears only intensified when she got to her desk and discovered her desk mate had yet to arrive.

Ben Solo was never late.

Ever.

She cleared her throat and dropped to her desk, desperate to settle in. She wasn't sure why she felt so uneasy, and at this point, all she wanted to do was check her email and make some calls.

Which itself was concerning.

Rey never wanted to make calls.

And by the time the clock hit ten, she was_ really_ concerned.

Thankfully, she didn't have to go snooping around for answers, since Luke took a moment to pop out of his office, looking like he just smoked a strong one.

"Hey, hey," He began, smiling at Rey, "How's my favorite salesperson?"

Rey cleared her throat and forced a smile. "Great, Luke." She glanced at Ben's empty desk before looking back to his Uncle, "Speaking of salesmen, where is Ben? It's unlike him to not be in by now. He's normally here a solid thirty minutes before everyone else."

Luke yawned and nodded. "Ben called in sick!" He exclaimed, slowly moving back into his office, clearly deciding he was done with chit chat, "And can you believe it? That boy has never called in sick. Not in almost ten years here!"

Before Rey could probe her boss for more information, his door shut, leaving her to stare at the dark wood. In a moment of desperation, she glanced at Rose who offered her a polite smile.

"Oh, don't worry—it's nothing contagious! We should all be fine," She explained, her sweet voice acting as a balm on Rey's frayed nerves, "The email he sent Luke said he just had a migraine."

"It's Friday," Rey blurted out, looking to the receptionist, "I should go by his house and make sure this wasn't a ploy for him to take an extra vacation day."

Rose raised an eyebrow. "Have we ever seen Ben Solo take a vacation? Luke practically has to force him to take our holiday break."

"I have to check. To be safe," Rey explained, before grabbing her handbag, "I'll be back shortly."

"Rey," Ackbar yelled, still seated at his desk and focused on his sudoku, "Where do you think you're going? We have a joint meeting with accounting in an hour!"

She swallowed and glanced at the older man, nibbling on her lip. "Cover for me, could you? I just have to run out."

Ackbar pursed his lips. "What's in it for me?"

She groaned and rubbed at her eyes. "Lunch, my treat. Okay?"

The offer clearly appeased the man since he waved her off and proceeded with his puzzle. Rey took one look at Luke's closed door and turned back to Rose.

"If he asks where I went, tell him I'm meeting a client."

Rose snorted. "I will but… He just took some CBD. He'll be out until lunch."

With that, Rey shot through the door, still unable to explain why she just felt so on edge.

**-x-x-x-**

When Rey finally parked her Prius in front of the cozy bungalow, she took a moment to ask herself why she knew where Ben Solo lived. Because truth be told, she never had a sanctioned reason to be at his home. Every visit had to do with a prank.

Like one of her personal favorites last Halloween. When Rey asked what he was being for Halloween, he couldn't wait to share how much he hated the holiday and how he never handed out candy to Trick or Treaters.

So, in typical fashion, Rey had to prank him. After work but before it was dark, she stopped by his house and set up a sign promising full sized candy bars to any child who sang the famous "trick or treat, smell my feet" song.

His rant the following morning was priceless.

But maybe pranks were not such a good thing anymore.

Because as she climbed the steps to his front door, his words rung in her head.

_You win._

What did that mean? Was Ben Solo playing mind games with her? Clearly, he had no issues with the pranks—he was always trying (albeit usually failing) to dish it as much as Rey was.

He antagonized her as much as she pranked him. He constantly threatened to write her up for checking Facebook, timed all of her personal calls, hovered around her during lunches to make sure she clocked in at the exact moment she finished eating, and even prevented her from lighting her favorite anxiety-relieving candle.

Her relationship with Ben was about pranks and messing with each other. That's who they were!

So why did everything suddenly feel so off?

With a deep breath, she knocked on his front door, willing herself to relax. Ben Solo wasn't a liar. Surely, he simply had a head ache. He was probably sleeping or watching the _Lord of the Rings _trilogy.

But then the door swung open.

He most certainly was not lying.

Except his headache didn't appear to be natural. He looked like he had a hangover.

"Ben?" She couldn't help but squeak out, staring at him with wide eyes, "Erm…"

Instead of his usual office attire of slacks and short-sleeved button-down shirts (since he claimed his biceps were too large for long sleeves), he stood before her in a pair of old sweat pants and a _Galaxy Battles _t-shirt.

His hair was askew, pointing in every which direction. His glasses were nowhere to be seen.

Which made his eyes even more noticeable. Instead of focused orbs of honey and chocolate, they were tired, marked with inflammation and redness.

Not to mention, he _reeked _of alcohol.

"Rey," He practically hissed out, staring at her with those cold, tired eyes, "What do you want?"

She swallowed, suddenly at a loss of words. As her eyes looked him over, from his messy hair to his sock clad feet, it occurred to her that she didn't know what she wanted.

Why the hell had she just shown up at his house? What did she think she was going to accomplish?

"Wait, let me guess," Ben continued, his voice laced with contempt, "Are you here to propose? Perhaps with a ring pop? Maybe you're pregnant with my child—turns out breathing the same air can do that these days."

Rey swallowed, suddenly ashamed of her actions. She didn't mean to hurt him.

Or did she? Because clearly she knew writing a love letter would get someone's hopes up—she was an adult for crying out loud!

She took a deep breath, suddenly realizing what this was all about. Maybe this was what prompted her to show up.

"I'm sorry," She began, pausing to digest that she was in fact apologizing to Ben Solo, "What I did was wrong. I'm sure you got that letter and were all excited that Rose or Bazine or whoever was into you. Realizing it was a prank by me must not have felt good."

Ben just stared at her, his jaw twitching at her words. He cleared his throat.

"Why are you here?" He instead asked again, staring at her with an intensity that made her stomach flip.

Rey swallowed. "I just said why. I'm apologizing."

"Are you really? You genuinely feel bad for what you did?" He continued, his eyes searching her face, "Because it sounds like you're implying I'm disappointed because that letter wasn't from someone else."

She cleared her throat. "Well, aren't you? I heard you talking to Hux. Clearly you were hoping Rose or Bazine was into you."

"Actually," He interjected, his voice fierce, "I wasn't."

Rey shifted, unsure of what to say next. "I don't understand. Do we have to make this hard? Can't we just pretend this didn't happen? I'll chill on the pranks from here on out."

But then she remembered the flowers. Suddenly, she wasn't finished.

"But don't act like you're innocent here!" She continued, desperately trying to keep her tone calm, "Once you figured out what I was doing, you tried to serve it right back. You were going to confess and just kiss my ass, weren't you?"

Ben just stared at her, his exhaustion evident. He ran a hand through his hair and looked down. "No, Rey. I can't do this anymore, okay? It's too exhausting. It's not fun."

She made a face. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I didn't think you were fucking playing a prank on me," He shot back, his breath coming out in pants, "Like any normal fucking person, I assumed I had just received a love note."

She shifted and bit her lip. "I know. So I'm apologizing since I ended up being behind it!"

Ben cursed and shook his head. "Don't you get it? I thought you sent it!"

"I don't understand. You didn't think it was a prank, but you thought I wrote it?" She mimicked, staring at him in confusion.

He met her gaze, his brown eyes soft. Speckles of honey and gold jumped out in the sunlight, suddenly drying up her throat.

"_Oh_."

She barely recognized her voice.

He looked away and shrugged. "It had to be you. You mentioned a lot of stuff only you would know."

Rey swallowed. "Like what?" She managed to squeak out.

"The _Lord of the Rings_ mentions. That my favorite cake flavor is carrot. That I love dogs but hate cats. That my socks are all _Galaxy Battles_ related and from my mother," He shrugged and continued to stare at the ground, "I didn't know how anyone else could know that. And I… Well, I wanted it to be you."

When he finished speaking, it occurred to her that she was practically shaking, desperately trying to digest his words.

Was Ben Solo trying to tell her that he wanted the love letter to be real? Did that mean he—

"—got me flowers because you wanted to?" She stuttered out, bashful under his warm gaze.

Ben cleared his throat and nodded. "Yeah. I knew you loved lilies. That candle you liked was lily scented. And it was your old windows icon for a while."

She stared at him, mouth agape.

Why did he know so much about her?

Or more frightening—why did she know so much about _him_?

"What are you saying?" She finally forced out, staring at him in trepidation.

Ben cleared his throat. "It means that despite my better judgement, I like you. A lot. And I don't fucking know why, given how annoying you are. Those memes? The pranks? The way you hit your pencil on your desk? Online shoe shopping with Rose during peak selling hours? It drives me up the fucking wall!" He cursed and shook his head, before meeting her gaze, "But for some reason I just… I can't stop thinking about you."

Rey swallowed, momentarily paralyzed by his words. "You like me?"

"Yes."

"And this isn't some prank of all pranks?"

Ben narrowed his eyes, clearly annoyed, before stepping forward. Before Rey could even get a word out, his soft lips were pressed against hers. They were gentle, offering her only a meaningful peck that had her heart exploding.

When he backed away, she cleared her throat and nodded aggressively. "Right. Okay. Right. So… You're saying that you like me?"

"I am. I sort of think you like me too," He explained gently, watching her with curious eyes.

Rey sputtered. "Oh, and what makes you so sure?"

Ben smiled softly. "You spend most of your day tormenting me. That implies some connection," He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair, looking bashful, "Besides. That love note was uh…" He cleared his throat and shrugged, "You spent three paragraphs talking about my eyes and lips. That didn't seem generic."

Rey crossed her arms, suddenly defensive, despite knowing Ben was for once in his life entirely right. "I take my pranks seriously."

"Oh? And that's why I keep finding meatballs in my drawers and sparkly crayons instead of pens?"

She bit her lip and shrugged. "Both are easy and cheap to buy in bulk."

Ben blushed a bit and stepped forward. "Maybe we could go to Costco together some time. Get you to buy some lunches that don't look like they were packed for finicky six-year-olds."

But Rey didn't answer. Instead, she rushed forward, kissing him again. He was quick to respond, wrapping his massive arms around her thin frame, eating at her lips like a starving man.

That kiss soon morphed into something far more intense, only stopping when Rey found herself shoved against his front door, her bun pressing uncomfortably against the back of her head. Ben moaned and bit at her lip, before dropping his kisses to the soft skin of her neck.

As soon as he pulled away, he dropped his hands to her hips and met her gaze. He licked his lips.

"Oral," He grumbled, his eyes locked on her pink lips.

Rey swallowed, her cheeks flushed a soft pink. "Sorry, what?"

"My favorite sex position. From that quiz. I love eating a woman out."

The soft pink on her cheeks deepened. "Oh…" She squeaked out, yet again surprised by his words, "Okay."

"So how about you be my pillow princess?" Ben whispered, pressing another kiss to her lips, "Let me shut that cute little mouth of yours."

Rey merely nodded, allowing her co-worker to lead her into his place, distracted from a kiss-induced haze. She noticed little details about his home life—his white and black color scheme, the handful of photos on his wall, the live plants resting peacefully in the corner.

But she was quickly swept off her feet, left to cling to the man for dear life as he navigated his hallways. And before she could let out a squeal, she found herself tossed onto his freshly made bed, the plush of his comforter breaking the fall.

He pressed a rough kiss to her lips and climbed onto the bed, hovering over her with hungry eyes. "I've wanted to taste you since the moment you walked into Resistance," He practically growled out, his deep voice tickling her skin, "I know you're going to be so sweet. And with such a pretty little pussy."

Rey swallowed and nodded eagerly. "Since I started working? Even through the pranks?"

Ben smirked and pushed her skirt to her stomach, his eyes dropping to her plain cotton panties. "Oh, of course. Whenever I heard that throaty laugh of yours, normally at my expense, I knew there was nothing I wanted more than to hear it while I licked you into oblivion."

She gasped as he began to press soft kisses up her exposed legs, leaving her to try to keep her eyes open, instead of merely leaning back to enjoy the process. "You want me to laugh while you eat me out? Not moan or scream or thank god?"

Ben snorted and pushed her legs further apart, glancing up at her flushed cheeks. "You'll laugh when it's over, thinking about how much time you wasted pranking me instead of fucking me."

"Still as arrogant as always, aren't you Solo?"

He simply smirked and stared at the crotch of her panties, his eyes locked on the damp fabric. "It's in my DNA. I mean, just look at you," He practically cooed, before bringing his thumb to press against the damp fabric, "You're already excited."

Rey swallowed and shifted on the bed. "Don't think I won't still prank you," She shot back, her voice trembling, "Even if I like you, I will still make you pay for being an ass."

But Ben just laughed and pushed the fabric aside, moaning once his eyes met her exposed core. "Just gorgeous," He whispered, his voice reverent, "I just knew you'd be perfect."

His thumb pressed against her clit, causing her to practically jump forward on the bed. With a laugh, he shifted, bringing the panties with him. Then, with some impressive dexterity, he dropped himself between her open legs, resting on his elbows.

"So wet and pretty," Ben explained, pressing a hot kiss to her inner thigh, "As pink as those lilies I got you."

Rey cried out as his hot tongue made contact with her quivering core, her thighs shaking as his tongue explored her wet heat. One massive hand reached forward to take hold of her left thigh, while the other joined his tongue. Before she could let out another moan, one thick finger joined his ministrations, sliding into her with ease.

"Fucking tight," Ben grunted out, his tongue circling her clit with surprise finesse, "I don't think my cock is going to fit," He growled, before pressing a soft kiss to the engorged bud, "But we'll make it work."

Swallowing a desperate squeal, Rey wanted to reach for his hair, begging to join in on his loyal attention. But Ben quickly added another finger to his movements, glancing at Rey with a smirk.

"Not so fast, Princess. Your job is to sit back and relax," He explained, leaning down to suck at her aching clit again, "Don't get greedy now."

She gulped and nodded, leaning back to rest her head on his soft pillow. Knowing Ben Solo, it was probably Tempur-Pedic. But it didn't really matter. Not when she shut her eyes, focusing on his frantic licking and massive fingers fucking her so good.

"Yes, Ben, please!" She practically sobbed out, her hands finding the soft cotton of his sheets, "I need—please—I need—"

"I know what you need," He hissed, punctuating his words with his fingers moving deeper into her hot center, "You need to be fucked so good you can't think straight."

His mouth returned to her center, his tongue disappearing between her pink folds, attacking her flesh like it was the most delicious dessert he ever had the privilege of trying.

And as soon as his lips surrounded her clit once more, she lost it, her body thrashing on the bed with a scream. Ben moaned and continued his ministrations, his fingers never slowing down.

"So good—so good—I can't—please—" Rey cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks, her half naked body flailing on the bed.

Finally content, Ben pressed a lewd kiss to her thigh, before sitting on his haunches. He smirked and glanced down at her, before bringing his fingers to his mouth, making a show of cleaning the digits of her essence.

Rey swallowed, her cheeks flushed pink. "God, Solo. That quiz was wrong. You're no Snape."

He chuckled and dropped beside her, wrapping a thick arm around her body. He kissed her temple and smirked. "Oh? Who do you think I am?"

"If we go by how you eat, definitely Ron," She explained, watching him carefully, "But you're also a know-it-all, so perhaps a bit of Hermione."

He just laughed and held her close, the two of them content in just the noise of Rey attempting to catch her breath. But, after a few moments, her eyes dropped to the noticeable bulge in his sweatpants. She bit her lip and sat up.

"Can I take care of that?" She asked, sliding her hand forward to touch his leg.

Ben smirked and shook his head. "No. I have a girlfriend already."

Rey blinked, staring at him with wide eyes. Suddenly, all post-orgasmic glow was gone. "Wh—what?"

"Her name is Satomi. She dresses like a school girl and pops if I get too rough," He sat up and stretched, "You know, you actually introduced us. Last night!"

She swallowed and smacked him, the air finally refilling her lungs. "Shut up. I hate you. Just for that, I'm pranking the shit out of you next week."

"Maybe no more meatballs? Ackbar always comes by my desk and wants to take them home. How about something healthier? Cliff bars? Cuties?"

Rey rolled her eyes but kissed him, before straddling him. She smiled and bit her lip.

"How do you think Luke will take it?" She asked, her hands rubbing against his chest.

Ben made a face. "Can we avoid discussing my Uncle and Boss while your naked cunt is rubbing against my erection? It's mixed signals."

She grinded against him with a laugh. "Right, right. Should we prank him? Tell him I'm pregnant?"

He grabbed her hips and shook his head. "No. God, no. My mother would know in an instant and you'd have a nursery in your place before the clock hit five."

Rey laughed and nuzzled into him. "You're not so bad, Solo. Especially with that tongue of yours."

Ben hummed and kissed her head. "You too, Rey. I like you a lot more when I'm tasting that pretty pussy of yours."

She groaned and reached into his sweatpants, clearly sick of waiting. "Alright, enough of that. It's my turn."

He had no arguments there.

**-x-x-x-**

The following Monday morning, after an entire weekend spent in Ben's bed, Rey was in far better spirits than usual. The insane amount of sex certainly helped, but so too did the knowledge that she now sat across from her boyfriend five days of the week.

And as she strolled into the office, offering Rose a polite smile, she was on top of the world.

Until she noticed a familiar blow up sex doll sitting in her seat, dressed in a black cardigan, a pair of stylish glasses on her inflated head.

Rey sighed. "Ben? Really?"

"This is Kira," Ben explained, not bothering to glance up from his computer, "She's the new saleswoman here. Be nice."

But before Rey could even argue, Luke popped out of his office, his face buried in a newspaper. He took one glance at the doll and kept walking.

"Nice cardigan, Rey. Black is a good color for you."

And as soon as her boss disappeared, Ben erupted in a fit of laughter.

She hit his chest, wanting to be irritated, but instead smiled and joined his laughing.


	2. Lost in Translation

SUMMARY: Awkward salesman Ben Solo is in love with the receptionist at his office. Too bad Rey is engaged to the red-headed prick in finance. In order to avoid her wedding and the heartbreak after confessing his true feelings, Ben takes a trip to Japan.

Friendly reminder that this chapter is a completely separate story from the previous chapter! All chapters within this story are separate stories inspired by the beloved show _The Office_ :)

-x-x-x-

Ben Solo hated his job. Not in the typical sense either—most people hated their jobs. But Ben _loathed_ his. He hated the work he did, how early he needed to wake up, his morning commute, the uncomfortable chair he sat in for eight hours a day, the shitty office coffee, and most of all, the people he worked with.

Well, _most_ of the people he worked with. There was one shining light in his pitiful life of work, sleep, work, and sleep.

A literal shining light if her name was any indication. Rey Jakku was the receptionist in his office. Both of them were unfortunate enough to be employed by Resistance Foods, a packaged goods company that was known for their New England style potato chips and other snacks.

Ben was a salesman. He spent his everyday attempting to get those products into grocery stores. Last month, he negotiated becoming the exclusive snack brand of six minor league baseball teams in the tri-state area.

How was the highlight of his career getting those stupid fucking potato chips into stadiums that averaged three-hundred fans per game?

They didn't even sell sour cream and onion.

But that was besides the point. The only thing that made his life even remotely tolerable was coming into work every morning and seeing Rey's glorious smile. Her arrival never made sense to him. For starters, she was _British_. Like, from Great Britain.

She never explained to him how she ended up in their Podunk town or working as a receptionist at the central office of a snack food company, but truthfully, he tried not to pry too much. He knew she was orphaned at a young age, and apparently after some digging, discovered her father was American, giving her citizenship.

Apparently, she wanted a fresh start and made her way over. But in doing so, she also brought along her sniveling prick of a boyfriend, Armitage Hux.

Over the course of her six years of employment at Resistance Foods, she had been in a relationship with that red-headed creep, even helping him get a job in their finance department and a green card. Approximately eighteen months ago, that relationship became an engagement.

And while Ben and Armitage did not get along, he and Rey most certainly did. In fact, he considered Rey his best friend. He knew if her boyfriend, _no_, fiancé wasn't around, they'd do what normal friends did. Go to movies, grab dinner, text each other funny memes…

But Armitage rarely allowed Rey to grab a drink with the rest of the office, let alone text Ben whenever she read a funny tweet.

Which meant somehow for Ben, the simultaneous highlight and worst part of his day was between the hours of 9 and 6. Because while sitting at that desk selling chips was the fucking worst, sitting three feet away from Rey, chatting about their ridiculous co-workers and old SNL skits, was the best.

"Ben!" a soft voice hissed, before a paper ball hit his right hand, "Come here! I have to show you something!"

God, he was going to miss that.

He glanced up from his computer and smiled at Rey. She was wearing a pink cardigan and a cream-colored blouse, Ben's personal favorite.

"What's up? I have to get this expense report to Phasma by five," He explained, leaning back in his seat with a grin, "So you can't distract me."

Rey practically snorted and rolled her eyes, albeit her actions clearly playful. "Oh? I can't distract you? Wanna bet?"

Ben nodded. "Ahuh. Expense reports are important. Phasma is scary when you make her wait."

From behind her desk, Rey tossed another paper ball. "Come on. Get over here."

He let out an exasperated groan before moving behind her desk, smiling the entire way over. "Fine, fine. What is it?"

Rey smirked and opened a pink folder, displaying a drawing. Specifically, what appeared to be a manga character. "I borrowed a book from the library. How did I do?"

Ben laughed and admired the drawing. "Amazing. It looks great. But is that…" He looked at the plain business attire of the man, his long black tie and plain black slacks, "Uh...Me?"

The character had shaggy dark hair, a large nose, and a scattering of moles. But maybe it was wishful thinking.

"It is!" Rey exclaimed, smiling as she signed her name to the bottom of the paper, "And now it belongs to you. Signed by me, in case it's worth anything one day."

Ben swallowed, unsure of what to say or do. A lump grew in his throat as he shifted his gaze between the drawing and Rey. Sweet, sweet Rey…

"This reminds me," He began, his voice soft, "I'm uh… I'm going to Japan. I finally bought my tickets. It's time I took that trip I've always talked about."

Rey's grin was bright enough to outshine the fluorescent lights of the office. "Ben! Oh my gosh! I'm so excited for you!" She quickly opened up Chrome on her computer, glancing back at him, "Okay. Tell me all about the trip. Where are you going? How long as you there for?"

He cleared his throat and hovered over her, desperately trying not to inhale her sweet vanilla scent like a creep. "Oh, well, I'm flying into Tokyo. I'll be there for two weeks, and then I'm taking the train to Kyoto. So, three weeks in total."

She squealed and typed Tokyo into Google, oohing as photos of the city skyline populated. She glanced back at Ben, her smile soft. "Do you have your hotels and stuff picked out yet?"

Ben nodded slowly. "Yeah. My parents are paying for it in Tokyo. My mom is calling it a 30th birthday gift. I argued against it but…" He shrugged, "It allowed me to afford a week in a traditional inn in Kyoto. I'll sleep on a mat and everything."

Rey let out a whimper and began to click through the photos. "That's so incredible. I want to see everything!"

He chuckled and appeased her, leaning over the keyboard to type in the name of the Tokyo hotel. It was some fancy hotel catering to business travelers, and while he typically hated taking handouts from his parents, their kind gift was making this trip a reality.

"Chandrila Plaza Hotel," Rey read, before clicking through the pictures, "Looks fancy. Puts the hotel Armie and I are staying out on our honeymoon to shame." She sighed and clicked on the website, "Just think. I had to beg him to fly to Mexico. He said if I wanted a beach, we could drive to Florida. Can you believe that?"

Truthfully, he could. Her fiance was a prick _and_ a cheapass. He frowned, watching as she clicked through the photos, knowing he desperately needed to tell her the full details. But before he could even force himself to say it, she beat him to the chase.

"When are you going?" She asked, looking back to him with a smile, "Isn't cherry blossom season in April?"

Ben cleared his throat and met her eyes, knowing he would hate what came next. "Um. I'm leaving in a month, actually."

Suddenly, Rey's glowing smile disappeared. "You're… going in a month? For three weeks?"

He cleared his throat. "Yeah. I leave the fourth."

Rey glanced back at the computer and closed the tab, instead opening her email. Clearly, she wanted to appear busy. "I see."

"I'm sorry," He whispered, hating how pathetic he sounded, "It's just—the timing worked since it's the slow season, and flights were cheap so…"

It was a better excuse than saying "_I don't want to watch you marry another man because I'm hopelessly and pathetically in love with you_".

She looked back to him and forced a smile. "I get it, Ben. I do. It's the same reason Armie and I set a date when we did." She cleared her throat and began to click through her emails, "I'm just disappointed you won't be at the wedding."

He stepped away from her desk, the drawing clutched in his shaking hands. "Yeah, uh, me too."

His phone rang, forcing him to return to his desk, offering Rey a sad smile. But as he sat down and answered the call from an irritated Phasma, he knew Rey's frown was simply a trial run for when he told her the big news.

Because when he returned from Japan, he wouldn't be employed in the Coruscant office. Instead, he'd be sitting three hours away in the office in Endor. When the regional manager of that branch offered him the opportunity to transfer, Ben considered what was keeping him in Coruscant.

There was only one thing. Or, rather, one person.

And when he returned from Japan, she'd be Mrs. Rey Hux.

The woman he was in love with would be the wife of another man.

He had nothing to stay for.

As he returned to filling out his expense report, he glanced at the drawing Rey made of him, now taped to the corner of his desk.

He'd treasure it forever.

-x-x-x-

Approximately a month later, a tension unlike any other filled every fiber of Ben's being. It was a Friday afternoon and on Monday morning, he'd sit through almost sixteen hours of flight time in route to Tokyo. On the following Saturday afternoon, Rey would marry Hux.

On the following Sunday night, he planned to sit alone in a Tokyo izakaya, drinking away his sorrows.

At least with his subsequent return to the US, he'd have a new beginning.

But at any rate, he still had the rest of Friday in his office to withstand. No one knew he was leaving except their regional manager, and while Jabba was usually a nice guy, all that mattered to him was money, meaning Ben's departure simply meant a sales job to fill.

He didn't plan to tell anyone he was leaving. They'd figure it out when he never returned from his vacation.

His one exception was Rey.

But that evening, during a retirement party at a local pub for beloved HR Rep Maz Kanata, Ben planned to tell Rey two important things.

One was his new job.

The other was that he was in love with her.

He knew what her answer would be. He knew nothing would come of his confession. But with his new beginning, coming clean to her about his feelings was a must.

He couldn't have his feelings weighing him down anymore.

So, when the clock hit six, and his co-workers grabbed their jackets in preparation for heading to Mos's Cantina, his stomach dropped.

For the last time, he glanced at Rey's desk and smiled, before standing and grabbing his briefcase.

The old Ben Solo died tonight.

The shell of a man would remain, but at least he'd be free of this torture.

-x-x-x-

Considering Mos' private room always smelled like stale beer and was a bit too small for everyone invited to the gathering, the party wasn't a huge success. But despite the shortcomings of many of Ben's co-workers, the people did know how to have fun.

It was why someone kept ordering rounds for everyone, and his fellow salesmen Poe was quick to request some catchy tunes for the party. Maz, the woman of the hour, looked to be having a great time, accepting tokens of appreciation after almost forty years at the company.

Ben had no issue with Maz. How could he? She was sweet, charming, and made delicious brownies for every work party. But this party, the reminder of forty years of service, scared the fucking shit out of Ben.

It was everything he feared.

Forty years at the company. Four-hundred and eighty months.

But he couldn't concern himself with that fear. Not when there was a more pressing matter.

More specifically a gorgeous brunette wrapped in a baby blue dress, her wavy chocolate locks draped across her shoulders. And, to Ben's delight _and_ relief, her fiancé was nowhere to be found.

He slid beside her and smiled, equipped with two pints of beer. He took a moment to admire her golden skin and hazel eyes, knowing tonight would be the last time.

"Having fun?" He asked, smiling as she accepted the beer, "I'm sad to see Maz go, but look at her jamming out," He laughed, watching as Maz danced, "She still has the moves, even at her age."

Rey giggled and sipped the cold brew. "I know! I'm going to miss her. The office won't be the same without her."

Ben nodded. "Me too. I'm going to miss her so much."

Who _her_ was, however, was up to Rey's interpretation.

"So, uh, where's Armitage?" Ben couldn't help but ask, glancing around the pub curiously, "This not his scene?"

Truthfully, it really wasn't Ben's either, but given his departure, he simply had to go.

Rey groaned and took a gulp of beer. "No, it is not. I had to fight to get him to agree to let me go, and ultimately, he only said yes because he wanted to watch some fancy French film and he knew I had no interest. I guess he didn't want me to complain the whole night."

Ben cleared his throat and nodded. "Well, at least we can have fun, right?"

Her smile was hypnotizing. "We most certainly can. We should dance. Then, play some darts."

He swallowed and nodded. "Yeah, definitely. The board is open now."

Ben would have done _anything_ to spend even a single second more with Rey. Even if it meant showing his terrible dance moves and destroying her in darts.

Most importantly, it allowed him to procrastinate on making the biggest confession of his life.

And that's precisely what he did. They played two rounds of darts, splitting the games, and eventually moved to the dance floor. Ben showed her some awkward moves, but thankfully, Poe, Kaydel, and Jessika joined them on the floor to ease some of his nerves of dancing alone with Rey.

Eventually, the crowd began to thin out, and Ben knew the time of his confession was coming. Rey was collecting her coat and wishing Maz a final goodbye, meaning he had mere moments to collect himself.

He felt sick. Like he'd vomit up his dinner of greasy pizza and two pints of beer before taking another look at her.

But suddenly she appeared in front of him, and he knew his time was up. It was now or never.

"I'll walk you to your car," He choked out, staring at her rosy cheeks and glossy hair, "Assuming you're good to drive."

She laughed and waved her hand. "I had one beer two hours ago. I just get white girl glow."

Ben smiled and nodded. In silence, they left the local pub, occasionally shouting a goodbye to a co-worker or offering an impassive wave.

It was only when they reached Rey's Prius, a little silver thing that Ben recalled her obsessing about for weeks before putting an offer in, that he realized what was about to occur. Again, his stomach coiled, and his palms began to sweat.

"Rey?" He began, desperately trying to keep his voice calm, "Can I talk to you for a second?"

She hummed and unlocked her car, tossing her purse inside. When the door shut, she leaned against the car, her smile wide. "What's up? Already need to set another round of darts since I whooped your butt in the second game?"

He cleared his throat. "Erm, no, that's not-"

"Oh, come on Solo! Just admit that you're a sore loser." She giggled and shoved him gently, "Next time we'll place a bet. Maybe ten per-"

Ben cleared his throat and interrupted her. "Rey, there won't be a next time."

She rolled her eyes, clearly not understanding his meaning. "Oh, come on! We had fun. Next time, we'll do foosball or something then if you're such a sore-"

"There won't be a next time because I'm transferring," He interjected, cutting off her words with a shaky voice, "I was offered a position at the office in Endor and well… I took it."

Rey stared at him, her mouth opening and closing as she seemingly struggled to digest his words. Finally, she frowned, nodding slowly. "I see. Well… Um, congrats? Why didn't you say anything sooner? When are you leaving?"

Ben rubbed at his face, willing his heart to calm down. "Today was my last day."

Her eyes widened, golden flecks within the hazel shining in the light of the street lamps. A frown took over her beautiful face. "-what? What do you mean today was your last day?"

He cleared his throat. "I mean… I leave for Japan on Monday, and when I get back in three weeks, I'm not returning to Coruscant. I'm starting in Endor."

Silence remained between them. Ben couldn't help but stare at her, getting his fill before he'd leave for the final time. Rey, however, seemed upset, her lips quivering ever so slightly.

"Oh," She began, her voice small, "I see." She nodded slowly, meeting his eyes, "I'm… I'm sad to hear you're leaving. You're one of my best friends so… I'm going to miss you."

Ben swallowed and stepped forward. "I'm going to miss you too," He whispered gently, "But it had to be done."

Rey frowned. "Why? I thought you liked Coruscant."

He shrugged. "There's more to it, Rey."

"Like what?"

For once, he almost wished Rey wasn't so curious. He wished he could simply give her a hug and hold her close before walking away, not having to utter his deepest secret to her.

But he couldn't. Otherwise it would follow him around for the rest of his life. It was time to get closure.

Starting his new life meant leaving the past behind.

"Like that I'm in love with you," He finally admitted, surprised by the steadiness in his voice, "So in love with you."

Time, he swore, stood still. Under the glow of the street lights, the night air whipping around them, Ben couldn't hear the music from the bar or the sound of traffic with how intensely his heart was beating. In fact, he wondered if his heart would jump out of his chest.

Because there was nothing to do but stare at her, waiting for any sort of reaction. He willed his breathing to calm down, knowing fainting from a lack of oxygen wouldn't help the situation.

He couldn't read her face, either. In his years of knowing Rey, he usually felt he could read her like a book. It was easy to tell when she was happy, or sad, or tired, or even hungry.

But in that moment, he wasn't sure of anything. Her glittering eyes gave nothing away—well, nothing but sadness.

And what did that sadness mean? Was she sad he was leaving? Sad he had confessed when she'd simply have to turn him down? Sad because she felt the same way but wouldn't leave Armitage?

"Ben—" She croaked out, her voice shaking.

He shook his head, knowing he wasn't ready to be shot down. Not yet. "I—I know it doesn't mean anything," He forced out, his eyes flickering between her quivering lips and the asphalt of the parking lot, "But I just needed you to know."

Looking into her sad eyes proved to be too much. As soon as she started speaking, he forced himself to look away, despite knowing these would be some of the last few moments he'd ever gaze upon her beautiful face.

"I don't—I don't know what to say," Her voice cracked as she spoke, "I'm engaged to—"

"Armitage, I know," Ben cut in, knowing he couldn't bare standing there through her gentle let down, "I know it's probably uncomfortable for you to hear but I just had to tell you."

He tested a glance back at Rey, who continued to stare at him, her eyes wide and red. "I can't—" She explained, her voice sad, "But you know how much your friendship means—"

Ben shook his head and stepped away, the bile rising in his throat. "No," He mumbled, his eyes locked on his shoes, "Don't do that. I don't want to hear that, Rey. Your friendship means the world to me too but it's not enough. I want to be more than that."

When he finally looked back at her, ignoring the tears in his own eyes, he knew it was over. She reached forward and gave his hand a squeeze, offering a sad smile.

"I can't," was all she whispered, like a final nail in the coffin of his heart.

He squeezed her hand back and smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, Rey," he whispered, staring at her for the final time, "I'll miss you."

Admittedly, he was surprised when she charged forward, wrapping her arms around him for one final hug, but of course he was thankful for the action. Holding her close one final time was like a dream come true.

It gave him one more opportunity to remember the smell of her skin, and the silky smoothness of her hair, or even for him just to imagine what it would be like to hold her thin frame in his arms.

And maybe it was during that imagining that his body got a mind of its own. It was the only way he could think to justify how his hands moved to grasp her cheeks, or how his lips ended up pressed smoothly to hers.

Maybe, Ben's common sense yelled for him to stop, to back away with screams of how she was engaged and that she didn't want him. But, it didn't really matter—not when suddenly, her soft lips were kissing him back.

Her lips tasted like lemonade on a hot summer day. Like a cooling balm to the worst sunburn. Like promised whispers from above that everything was going to be okay.

They were soft and perfect and so fucking urgent. One of his treacherous hands moved to her jaw, holding her face steady, as he practically ate at her mouth with a sort of hunger he didn't know existed within him.

But he wasn't alone. Not when one of her hands moved into his shaggy hair, grabbing a handful of the wavy locks, while the other practically fisted the fabric of his favorite blue button-down.

Under the street lights, with the soft purr of the wind and the tiny noises she made as they kissed, Ben swore he was in heaven.

There was no possible way life could get any better than that very moment.

And perhaps it was naïve of him, given that he knew the moment would end. It didn't matter if things couldn't get better—they could certainly get worse.

Before he could caution himself, to remind his cracking heart to cherish this moment forever, Rey practically ripped her body from his, jumping far enough back that a minivan could probably park between them.

She stared at him with wide eyes, her mouth equally as open. Ben knew the look. She was shocked.

He was too.

"Rey—" He began, himself not knowing what to say, "I—"

But she finished the line of thought for him.

"Goodbye, Ben."

He watched, too destroyed to say anything else, as she climbed into her Prius. And as she drove away, he begged, pleaded, that she'd turn around and look at him. That she'd give him one final glance of her gorgeous face.

But she didn't.

And so, Ben made the decision for himself.

He didn't go home.

He went right back inside and ordered himself another beer. At least Dameron's incessant talking would keep him company.

-x-x-x-

The next few days were a bit of a blur for Ben. He woke up on Saturday morning with a massive hangover, instantly regretting his decision to get plastered after Rey broke his heart. It made his morning infinitely more difficult—a moving van was due to arrive in a little less than two hours.

So, Ben had to drag his sorry ass out of bed and Uber back to Mos', just to get his car and turn back around. Thankfully, it wasn't as if his place had all that much in it. He didn't own much.

Not much had ever really mattered to him.

By the early evening on Saturday, he was already settled in his new apartment in Endor. It was slightly nicer than his place in Coruscant, and given how little he had, unpacking took no time at all.

Rey's drawing hung as the single piece of art in his living room, a constant reminder of what he left behind and could never have.

How sad.

He easily settled into his new routine.

He fell asleep on his couch in the unfamiliar home, drunk as could be.

Even though he had left Coruscant, his thoughts hadn't.

He thought about how gorgeous she'd look in white.

-x-x-x-

Sunday was just as pathetic. He had breakfast with his parents, nodding along as his mother requested he take pictures of every place he visited, and his father made some lewd comments about geishas that earned a smack from his mother.

He spent his evening packing and reviewing his travel plans for the next day.

And when it came time to board his sixteen-hour flight, he just felt empty.

But also, thankful he was going somewhere where nobody would speak his language.

He'd feel alone.

Fitting, since he already felt alone enough as it was.

-x-x-x-

His flight left at 11am on Monday, getting him to Tokyo in the early evening on Tuesday. Han had cracked a few jokes about traveling "into the past" on his return home. Usually, Ben would have humored his father and laughed at the corny humor, but Ben simply didn't have it in him.

Not anymore.

But when he stepped off the plane, into the chilly, rainy air, he did feel free. He turned his phone on _Do Not Disturb_, meaning he was completely separated from email, text, and calls. In fact, aside from texting his parents that he had landed safely, he planned to have zero interaction with anyone digitally for an entire three weeks.

His phone was meant to take photos and get directions.

He looked forward to it.

-x-x-x-

In fact, for the first few days, things were incredible. He spent his time wandering through shops and old temples and curvy streets, absolutely invigorated by the freedom of hearing_ everything _and understanding _nothing_.

Even when people stared at him because of his height, or his face, or the few times he was forced to speak English, it didn't bother him.

He enjoyed the novelty of ramen shops meant for businessmen to dine alone. He loved that people minded their own business, never to smile or make eye contact.

He thanked the heavens for the mental vacation.

Because for approximately four whole days, he thought of nothing but his trip and the places he had always wanted to see and the food he had always wanted to eat.

Which was naïve, considering this trip wasn't simply about checking off his bucket list.

It was an escape.

And by Saturday evening, he was sitting in the hotel bar, staring at the wall of windows and the Tokyo skyline in the distance.

It was like a pathetic version of _Lost in Translation_. Because even in that movie, Bill Murray found company eventually.

He glanced at his watch.

10PM.

It was 9AM in Coruscant. Two hours before the wedding. What was Rey doing? Allowing her friends to primp at her hair, twist her beautiful locks into loose curls that would frame her stunning face? Would the streaks of gold in her hair stand out in the sunlight, making her look even more like an angel than she already was?

And what would her dress look like? Would it be traditional, with a big, poofy skirt that would make Rey look like Cinderella? Or would it be a silky satin, hugging her curves like a second skin?

Who would walk her down the aisle? Would she ask her dear friend Finn, who had also grown up in foster care and moved to America? Would she walk alone, again proving that she needed no one?

Ben groaned and took a gulp of beer, his heart beating in his chest. He already felt sick.

So, he did what was easy, despite knowing it made him weak. It was the exact reason he elected to get drunk at the hotel with a bartender that spoke English. He ordered his favorite drinks, and when he was just shitfaced enough to forget, but still sober enough to get back to his room, he knew it would be time to turn in for the night.

Which he did. At 12:30AM.

He drifted off to sleep, wondering if Armitage cried when she walked down the aisle. He wondered if that man knew just how lucky he was.

Ben cried and he didn't even get to see her.

-x-x-x-

He spent Sunday in his hotel. Maybe, thirty years from now, he'd regret that decision, given that he had a gorgeous foreign city at his fingertips. He could have wandered along endless streets, snapping Instagram-worthy city shots that he'd recolor black and white.

He could have taken a sushi-making class that his Uncle Lando recommended, located in a famed restaurant in the Ginza district.

He could have hit the shops, on a quest to find the perfect gift for his mother to bring back home.

He could have done anything.

But he didn't. He slept until noon. He kept the curtains closed, content in the darkness.

By two, he relented and ordered room service, disgusted with himself as he ate western-style chicken fingers in his boxers while watching a Japanese home shopping network advertise a juice maker.

By four, he cried himself to sleep again, wondering how soft the bed was that Rey and Armitage were sharing, in some chain hotel in a touristy beach city in Mexico.

He wondered if her wedding night was everything she wanted.

By seven, he woke up with a pounding headache, and finally decided to take a shower. The endeavor was challenging, given how low the showerhead was, but by the time he finished, he at least felt a little rejuvenated.

Enough that he was willing to walk across the street to the 7-Eleven. At least that was a touristy thing to do.

By eight, he was back in bed, eating a collection of readily prepared foods that put his mother's cooking to shame.

By nine, he was happy, almost. Relieved, if anything. The worst of it was over. She was married and now he'd never have to see her again.

Things would only get better.

But at approximately 10:48PM, just as he was willing himself to watch more Japanese late-night television that he wouldn't understand, his phone rang. And not his cell phone, his_ hotel_ phone.

"Uh, hello?" Ben asked, picking up the corded phone with awkward limbs.

"Good evening, Mr. Solo," A polite employee began, their English perfect despite their heavy accent, "We have a guest waiting for you in the lobby."

Ben blinked a few times, not quite understanding the call. "A guest? For me?"

"Yes. She asked for Benjamin Solo. Would you like us to send her up or would you prefer to retrieve her?"

He stared at the television, momentarily distracted by the couple fighting in a tub of what Ben thought was red bean paste and cleared his throat. "I'll come down. Thanks."

Ben jumped to his feet and slid into his sneakers, on edge. He wondered which of his thoughts was worse.

The first was that his Uncle Lando finally followed through on his pushing for Ben to get a massage and did something stupid like hiring a masseuse.

The scarier, and most concerningly possible explanation was that Han, in his very skewed concepts of geishas, did something totally out of line and hired Ben a prostitute.

And even more pathetically, in Ben's fragile state, he wondered if he'd even be able to turn one away.

Of course, neither of those options came to fruition as he entered the regal front lobby of the hotel. Travelers and tourists roamed in and out, equipped with suit cases and shopping bags and damp umbrellas from the rain.

Earlier in the evening, he couldn't have looked more out of place in sweat pants and a rain jacket, holding bags from 7-Eleven.

But none of that mattered anymore.

Not when he saw her.

Like a dream, she stood by the front desk, shivering in a Coruscant University hoodie and a pair of yoga pants. She was soaking wet, leaving trails of pink and black makeup to run down her beautiful face.

Her hair was falling apart, but the remnants of an updo with sparkles and pearls remained.

She carried only a tiny black suit case and a beat-up backup.

Ben was paralyzed, unable to do anything but stand and stare.

Thankfully, she saw him and moved first.

"Ben!" She practically sobbed out, abandoning her bags to rush into his arms, "I found you!"

He gulped and nodded, pulling her closer, uncaring of how wet she was making him. Admittedly, he was having trouble voicing his obvious questions, only able to squeak and nod.

Finally, Rey pulled away gently, her eyes red. She sniffled and nodded towards the elevators. "Could we go to your room?"

Ben nodded dumbly, following Rey to the elevators, only stopping to retrieve her discarded bags. They stood in the elevator in complete silence, sans Rey's sniffles.

He was convinced he was in the middle of a lucid dream, brought on by too much sleep or an over-indulgence in what he thought were soda flavored hard candies that made his tongue buzz.

But Rey was very much real, and very much in his hotel room. He set her bags down and sat on the edge of his bed, only nodding and half paying attention to her words as she expressed the desire to take a shower.

He was mainly focused on the tiny pearls she was extracting from her beautiful, shiny hair.

When she disappeared into the bathroom, one of the hotel issued robes in her hands, he proceeded to pace the length of the room, which given his size and the limited open space in Tokyo, wasn't very expansive.

But nothing could distract him. Especially since without her in his direct eyesight, he could finally digest what the hell was going on.

Rey was in Japan.

Rey had found him.

Rey was in his hotel room.

And then she wandered out of the bathroom, clean-faced with wet hair, dressed in only the hotel robe.

Before he could say anything, she stumbled upon the hotel desk, littered with the ridiculous amounts of food he had purchased from 7-Eleven only hours before. He watched as she retrieved a melon loaf, a piece of onigiri, and a Japanese Kit-Kat that based on the wrapper, he believed to be strawberry cheesecake flavored.

"Oh, I'm so hungry," Rey muttered, before dropping into the desk chair, quickly ripping into the melon loaf. As soon as a piece of the green bread hit her tongue, she let out a soft moan and chomped away, "That's good. Taste like melon."

Ben was stunned by so many things he just…

He didn't know where to start.

Rey was wearing a fucking robe.

And he still didn't know why she was here!

He thought he'd be polite and let her eat, especially since he knew how exhausting the flight to Japan was.

He had done it mere days before.

When she finished her onigiri, he forced himself to speak.

"Rey," He finally choked out, his eyes locked on her form, "What are you doing here?"

She swallowed her last bit of rice and seaweed before grabbing the Kit-Kat. She bit into one of the pieces and held one out for Ben. "Want a piece?" She asked.

Ben cleared his throat and politely shook his head. Not only did they need to talk, but he also had eaten approximately six different flavors since landing earlier in the week.

"Rey…" He began, his tone cautious.

That seemed to do it. He watched as she set the remainder of the chocolate bar down and proceeded to burst into tears.

Immediately, he jumped to his feet, approaching her on shaky legs. "Rey, please—"

She wiped at her cheeks and continued to cry. "I'm so sorry," She hiccupped, using the white sleeve of the robe to wipe at her cheeks, "I just—"

Instead of finishing, she merely shook her head and choked on a sob.

Ben frowned and tentatively pulled her into a hug, immediately relaxing the moment her warm form was enveloped in his.

"Rey?" He asked again, his voice soft.

"My flight was delayed," She finally choked out, burying her face in Ben's shoulder, "By almost two hours. And it was the only flight that had any seats left on Saturday!" She hiccupped and started shaking, "And to think I thought I almost missed it. I had to break into the office."

Ben pulled her closer. "You…Why did you break into the office?"

Rey let out a whimper and sniffled. "I had to check my computer history to see what the name of your hotel was."

Her words left him stunned again, despite the logical part of him knowing she must have known somehow. At any rate, they sat in silence, only Rey's soft cries breaking through the tension.

He wasn't sure what to say.

There was one question on the tip of his tongue, and he was just too chicken shit to ask it.

"Of course, when I landed, it was pouring," She started again, her voice shaky, "And I packed for bloody Mexico, so it's not like I had much to protect me. And my taxi driver didn't speak English, so he dropped me off at the wrong hotel, and my phone died and, and, and—"

She let out another sob, prompting Ben to pull her closer. "You're here now," He whispered, before pressing a kiss to her head, "And that's all that matters."

His words seemed to startle Rey. She pulled back, finally looking him in the eyes. And despite how red and swollen they looked, the hazel still took his breath away.

"Oh my god," She croaked out, shaking, "I walked out on my wedding and flew to bloody Japan!"

Ben had been waiting to hear confirmation of just that. But now that he heard it, nothing was audible over the sound of his heart beating.

"You… didn't get married?" It sounded stupid coming out of his mouth, but he simply had to ask.

Rey sniffled and touched his cheek, her lip quivering as she studied him. "No. How could I, Ben? How could I marry another man after that kiss?"

Suddenly, his stomach plummeted. He swallowed and looked away. "I don't think a kiss is a reason to call off a wedding, Rey. I'm sure he would have understood—"

She shook her head and grabbed his hand, holding it to her chest. "No, you bloody idiot! That kiss changed _everything._ I've never felt anything like that before with Armie. With anyone. Except you."

Ben struggled to find adequate words to express himself after her confession. Could Rey really feel the same about him as he felt for her? Was it even possible for a woman so beautiful, so kind, so pure-hearted, to want him too?

"At first, I just thought it was cold feet," She began, her voice tinged with a newly found resolve, "That maybe your confession was just giving me second thoughts because how could it not? You're handsome, and sweet, and frankly, the whole package."

Internally, Ben screamed there was no way that was true, but he also knew she wasn't finished speaking and he simply had to know where she was going with her words.

"But then I got to the church," Rey explained, her voice shaky, "And the stylists Armie insisted I have started doing my hair and makeup. Finn and Rose dropped in and I just thought… Why am I filled with dread right now?"

She sniffled and shrugged her shoulders, sad. "They started putting these stupid bloody pearls in my hair, insisting I had to wear my hair up even though I just wanted something simple. And eventually, it occurred to me that what would make me happy in that moment would be to see you. To play a prank on Mitaka, or to share tea and some memes, or even just make funny faces from our desks."

Rey pressed a soft kiss to his hands and met his eyes, her own filled with tears. "I realized that walking down that aisle and seeing Armie would never make me happy. The only thing that would was seeing you. Being with you."

Ben reached forward and caressed her cheek, letting his fingers wipe away her warm tears. He smiled softly, his heart hammering in his chest. "You flew all the way to Japan to tell me that?"

His words made her giggle. She sniffled and nodded. "Yes. The stylists went to get my dress and I sort of just… Flipped. I don't know." She shrugged and covered his hand with her own, "I grabbed my suit case, drove to the office, and actually broke in to get to my computer."

"You really broke in?" He smiled and stepped closer, practically hypnotized, "Just so you could figure out where I was?"

She nodded and met his gaze. "I didn't want to call. I didn't think you'd answer. When I got the name of the hotel I just…" She blushed and looked away, "I went to the airport and bought tickets on the first flight I could." She hiccupped and touched his cheek, "And now I'm here. With you."

Ben took another step forward, instinct screaming for him to kiss her. "Nothing has ever made me so happy," He whispered, taking a moment to study the flecks of gold in her hazel eyes, "I've been miserable since I got here, thinking about you with him."

Suddenly, Rey stepped away, putting his body on high alert. She hurried over to her backpack, emptying it on the bed, causing various items like her passport, boarding pass, landing card, and an empty bag of spicy hot Cheetos to cover the white sheet.

She shifted through the items, until she found a large journal. Ben recognized it immediately—it was a sketch book.

He had bought it for her for Christmas.

Rey hurried back to him and blushed. "I drew something while I was on the flight."

Ben nodded, watching as she flicked through the pages, landing somewhere in the middle of the book. Even in that moment, he couldn't help the way his stomach flipped when he realized how frequently she must use it.

Finally, she held it open for him. He wanted to obsess about her delicate use of colors or her incredible skills, but instead his heart jumped to his throat.

Because on the page was an almost identical drawing to the one she had given Ben weeks ago that was currently hanging in his new apartment. It was him drawn in the typical manga style, wearing his favorite blue button down and sporting a very typical Ben-like scowl.

But instead of posing alone, like in the drawing back in Endor, he was joined by a smiley woman, one with three buns in her hair and a tiny hand that clasped the man's.

He looked back to Rey, his voice hoarse. "Is that us?"

Rey sniffled and nodded. "Yeah. It's us."

Unable to wait any longer, Ben did what he had been waiting to do since the moment he found Rey in the hotel lobby. He charged forward and pressed a ravenous kiss to her lips, his traitorous hands immediately landing on her hips.

She responded eagerly, kissing him back with a sort of fervor he had only ever imagined her capable of. Her hands slid into his still damp hair, pulling at the shaggy locks with a tiny moan.

And just when he thought he would combust, Rey pulled away, her lips dusting across his jaw in the process. She offered him a bright smile that nearly shattered him.

"I love you," She whispered, her words like a band aid to his damaged heart, "And I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it."

Ben simply shook his head and pulled her into his arms.

"Never be sorry for saying those words to me."

She grinned and put her head on his chest. "I love you."

"I love you too."

-x-x-x-

The rest of the week in Tokyo was even more incredible than Ben could have ever imagined. Of course, they still had a lot of to figure out upon their eventual return home. One of the lows of the week was Ben sitting on the closed toilet, desperately trying to hear any part of Rey's phone conversation with Armitage.

Of course, he was happy Rey was with him, but he did pity the guy. Armitage deserved an explanation for her change of heart. Ben knew what it was like to have his heart shattered.

So, he happily held Rey in his arms when the phone call was over, letting the pair of them simply sit in silence, knowing the worst of it was over. Rey didn't tell him what they discussed and frankly, it wasn't his business.

There was of course the issue of Ben's job change, but they had come to a surprising conclusion. While Ben was initially open to seeing if he could simply relocate back to Coruscant, Rey voiced her desire to join him in Endor.

Apparently, she liked the idea of being close to his parents, as well as finding a new job. He had no issue with that.

His new apartment had plenty of room.

But he knew talking about her moving in was probably moving a _bit_ too fast.

And, since Ben was scared of ruining this new-found happiness by going way too fast, they hadn't slept together yet. Well, they had slept together every evening, sharing the very much_ not_ a king hotel bed, but they had not _slept _together.

It was difficult, especially when Rey enjoyed prancing around in the hotel robe or just one of his t-shirts.

His own torture aside, the week was magical. Rey was incredibly reactive, 'oohing' and 'aahing' at every shrine and brightly lit building, insistent on buying post cards and cutesy items at every tourist attraction. Huge stretches of time were devoted to her taking photos, as well as the occasional stop that saw her pulling out her trusty sketch book and outlining a fun building or a character she really liked.

But really, his favorite part so far was watching Rey eat. Ben knew she had an appetite—he had spent years eating lunch with her, and frequently abandoning his leftovers or food his mother dropped off so he could enjoy watching Rey eat instead.

Given Japan's status as a food mecca, they obviously ate as much as they could. But Rey was on an entirely different level. Every hour led to stops at street vendors selling takoyaki, dango, yakitori, and Ben's personal favorite, taiyaki, or runs into 7-Eleven where Rey proceeded to shove as many interesting looking candy and snacks into her purse as possible.

Ben was already dreaming about their honeymoon. He'd have to take her to Italy, or France, or Korea. Somewhere else known for incredible food, a place where she could stuff her face until she couldn't walk.

He knew it was silly to be thinking that far ahead, but he was certain of one thing. She'd never have to beg him to go anywhere. If she wanted the beach, they'd go to the beach. If she wanted to fly to fucking Antarctica and freeze, he'd do the impossible for her.

Eventually, their time in Tokyo came to an end, and in approximately twelve hours they'd take the bullet train up to Kyoto. Ben had paid an egregious amount of money to extend his reservation at the ryokan to two people, but the thought of sleeping on a mat with Rey beside him made it absolutely worth it.

Ben strolled out of the bathroom, his hair wet, and watched as Rey comically tried to shove all the trinkets she bought into her tiny suitcase. He smiled gently and offered her one of his virtually empty backpacks.

"Just use this. I didn't pack much, and you know I don't buy much," He explained, before trailing over to his sole shopping bag, filled with traditional Japanese sweets he bought for his father. He still hadn't decided what to buy his mother, but he figured Kyoto would have something worthwhile.

Rey smiled and accepted the bag. Ben watched, his eyes amused, as she filled the sleek case with what he assumed to be at least seventy-five dollars' worth of convenience store food. He sat on the corner of the bed, his eyes on her form.

"What did Jabba say?" He inquired, knowing Rey had called her boss during his shower. While Rey had taken time off to go on her honeymoon, she was supposed to be back to work in approximately two days.

Given their additional eight planned days in Japan, there was no way that was happening.

Rey stopped her packing and plucked a matcha-flavored Kit-Kat from the backpack, turning to Ben. "Oh, he barely cared. He didn't even remember I had taken off. Apparently, he thinks Mitaka and I look the same, since a man taking his calls and bringing him his coffee didn't register."

Ben chuckled. "Well, he's not the most competent. But I'm glad he didn't make things difficult."

She shrugged and grabbed his hand, her smile wide. "If he had, I would have just quit. It would have given me the out I needed."

Her words made his heart soar. "Well, this is best. Better to use your vacation time than lose it."

Rey nodded excitedly and plopped on the bed beside him, watching him curiously. "So… I have to be honest. You keep talking about a ryokan and that being a traditional Japanese inn but um… I don't know what exactly that means."

Ben scooted closer to her and took her hand in his, unable to stop the way his thumb ran along her smooth skin. He smiled at her curious eyes.

"Well, they're known for a few things. First, you sleep on the floor on mats. And they have hot springs, called Onsens. They're usually separated by gender because you do them nude. You also wear Yukatas, which is like a casual kimono," Ben explained, his cheeks flushing pink, "Or at least that's what Trip Advisor forums and my years watching anime has led me to believe."

Rey grinned and nodded excitedly. "That sounds fun. I wish there were private hot springs though," She explained, her hand moving to Ben's sweat pant clad leg, "I'd prefer to be nude with you."

He nearly choked. "Oh. Yeah, uh, there are some mixed gender onsens but I don't think ours is—"

She pouted and scooted closer. "I don't care about seeing other men nude. Just you."

His cheeks were impossibly pink. In fact, that flush had probably traveled to his ears. Rey didn't seem phased, and simply leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to his jaw.

"If these inns don't have beds, we probably should take advantage of this one," She whispered, before pressing a soft kiss to his neck, "Because somehow I imagine getting busy on the floor won't be the comfiest."

Ben cleared his throat and met her eyes. "Are you sure, Rey? I didn't want to rush anything. I mean—"

She silenced his words with a kiss. "We don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with, but I've been thinking about what's under those dress shirts since the moment I met you."

Again, her words had a way of rendering him speechless. She took that as a hint to continue. "Besides," She moved closer, setting both of her hands on his thick thighs, "Isn't Japan known for kinky stuff? Like tentacle porn? Love hotels? Let's not waste an opportunity."

Ben nearly choked, nodding his head dumbly. That pleased Rey, if her giant smile was any indication. He watched with wide eyes as she stood, dropping one of his t-shirts and her yoga pants to the ground, leaving her in just a pair of Pikachu printed underwear.

He remembered her buying them three days ago.

His eyes zeroed in on her chest, taken by her smooth golden skin. She climbed over him, forcing him to lie back, and offered him a naughty grin.

"I think I always had a crush on you," She explained, as she expertly removed the t-shirt he was wearing, "You were always so handsome. Even when I was taken."

Ben swallowed and captured her lips in a kiss, absolutely drunk on the feel of her soft breasts pressed against his bare chest. He couldn't help but run his hands up and down the smooth skin of her back, delirious with the feel.

After a few more chaste kisses, Ben allowed her to pull down his sweat pants, reveling in the feel of her hands all over him. In fact, he was only knocked out of his reverie when her hand wrapped around his aching length.

"Oh, fuck," She moaned, pressing another kiss to his lips, "You're a work of art, Ben."

He was again unable to speak, only croaking out pathetic noises as she moved her hand up and down, pressing kisses along his chest and neck. Eventually, he ran his hands to her smooth legs, and greedily snuck his fingers inside the cotton fabric.

Rey let out a squeal as his thick fingers found her warm center, his hand moving expertly against her quivering flesh. He pressed a thumb against her clit, forcing another cry from her lips, before easily sliding one finger into her depths.

"Fuck, Ben!" She cried out, grinding against his stomach as he moved his hand against her, "You feel so good."

He took her praise to heart and continued his rubbing, deciding to add another finger at one particularly throaty cry from Rey. With his thumb flicking at her clit and two fingers moving hungrily, she let out a cry and shook against him, her tight walls fluttering.

Rey cried out again, her hand still wrapped tightly around his throbbing length, and gave him another kiss. Ben thought back to her mention of Japan's notable sex culture and couldn't help but bring his hand to his face, eagerly drawing his wet fingers into his mouth.

She watched, wide-eyed, as he cleaned each digit, a smile across his lips. He moaned and sat up, pulling her closer, enjoying the way she nuzzled against him.

"God, who would have thought Ben Solo had a naughty streak in him?" She hummed out, contently squeezing his thick cock, "Because that was fucking hot."

Ben chuckled and flipped her over, expertly sliding her ruined panties down her legs. He brought the garish yellow fabric to his nose and inhaled, laughing as she shrieked and kicked him.

"You know, it's rumored that vending machines here sell used panties," He explained, before tossing the underwear on top of his suit case, intending to tuck them away for later, "Apparently they're just… scented to seem so but you could sell those, Rey. They're a drug."

She flushed and tried to kick him again, but just laughed as he hovered over her. She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips and ran her hands through his wet hair, her eyes shining with something Ben struggled to comprehend.

"I love you," She whispered, bringing her hands to wrap around his neck, "And I'm so happy to get to be with you."

Her words were all Ben needed. With a breathy "I love you too", he pushed in, groaning at the feel of her wet core.

Staring down at her quivering form was all Ben had ever wanted. In fact, he had dreamed on far too many occasions of what it would feel like to hold her in his arms, fucking her so well that she wouldn't be able to walk.

And now he finally had the opportunity. Her hands were wrapped in his dark locks, her lips locked on the soft skin of his neck. He continued his eager thrusts, letting his mouth lick and kiss and suck at every exposed inch of her gorgeous skin, only satisfied when red marks began to cover her neck and chest.

As he got closer, he dropped his hand between their bodies, rubbing at her clit, his inner cave male simply _purring_ at the noises of delight she made at every thrust of his hips and flick at her flesh.

When her lips met his again, she lost control, her body shaking beneath him. The fluttering of her core proved too much for him to take. With one final push, he saw stars, shaking as he finally felt complete.

He collapsed beside her, desperate to catch his breath. He heard Rey giggle, before feeling her roll into his arms, throwing one warm leg across his naked body. He palmed the soft skin and let out a content sigh.

"What's next?" She asked, her tone playful, "I call you senpai?"

Ben groaned and gave her ass a soft smack. "Christ, what type of anime do you watch, Rey? You made fun of me for being a _Naruto_ fan in high school."

She leaned over and gave him a kiss. She giggled. "Maybe I watch the dirty kind."

His head flooded with images of what that meant. Embarrassingly, his cock began to harden beneath her leg.

Rey snorted and smacked his chest. "Alright, not that kind. But I admit, my foster brothers used to watch _Dragon Ball Z_ and I kind of got into that."

He pressed a kiss to her head. "Ah. Good choice."

She smirked. "Do you watch the dirty kind?"

"I plead the fifth."

Rey gasped and straddled him. "We're not in America anymore. I don't believe that's a thing in Japanese law."

Ben shrugged and kissed her. "And if I did?"

She bit her lip and shrugged. "Then I'd say notice me, senpai."

Ben groaned. "Fuck, I love you."

She laughed and leaned closer. "Don't you mean _Dai Suki_?"

But Ben shut her up with a kiss.

And later that evening, as they drifted off to sleep entangled in each other's arms, he thought back to his miserable job in Coruscant and how desperately he hated being a salesman.

But with one look at Rey in his arms, he decided that job was the best thing to ever happen to him.


	3. That Baby is a Solo

**SUMMARY: ****Ben Solo is still reeling over the loss of his ex-lover and co-worker, Rey. She's married with a son, but that doesn't stop him from renewing their affair when given the chance. Things are moving steady until he finally meets her son—big ears and all. **

**Friendly reminder that this chapter is a completely separate story from the previous chapter! All chapters within this story are separate stories inspired by the beloved show **_**The Office**_** :)**

**This chapter is inspired by the complex yet heartwarming relationship between Angela and Dwight.**

**As of right now, this story will be marked as "COMPLETE" but I may periodically update if I get inspired by watching the show again. With that said, please enjoy! **

-x-x-x-

The best days at the office were the slow ones. Specifically, the days when Lando, the Regional Manager of the Endor branch of Rebel Industries, disappeared for one of his mysterious three-hour lunches.

Today was one of those days. The break room had been turned into a mini-party, equipped with pizza from the team's favorite Italian joint and a leftover bottle of wine from last year's Christmas party. Candy from their beloved vending machines rounded out the spread.

"You still don't have any proof!" Snap exclaimed, before stuffing another glob of gooey cheese into his mouth, "Just saying that you have a good _Gaydar _means nothing."

Beside him, Bazine, the office's resident sass-queen, eyed her co-worker with contempt. "My Gaydar has never been wrong. Have you seen the man? Exemplary taste in shoes, immaculate nails, and perhaps the most telling—he recognized my perfume after one whiff!"

Rose watched Bazine and Snap continue to argue, torn between wanting to add her own thoughts or simply refilling her paper cup with wine. She opted for the wine, only stopping her generous pour at the sound of Ackbar's voice.

The office loved Ackbar. He acted as their resident grandfather—in fact, he was older than the company itself. He had been with Rebel Industries for 45 years, including when the company was Empire Industries for the first five.

But Ackbar was old. And forgetful. He also never paid attention to the conversations around him, more interested in his crossword puzzles.

"Who are we talking about?" Ackbar asked, munching happily on a handful of M&Ms, "Because Lando has always been honest about his openness for sex!"

Snap rolled his eyes, clearly frustrated by the interruption. He loved to argue, especially with Bazine. "Ackbar, for the _eightieth_ time, we're talking about Dameron. Rey's husband."

"Is that the Senator fellow?" Ackbar asked, looking around at his co-workers stuffed into the tiny break room.

From beside Rose, the oddly quiet Finn decided to finally pipe in. "State Senator," he suggested, his voice hushed.

Crumbling her paper cup, Bazine tossed the trash into the closest bin and pulled at her ponytail. "Look, everyone agrees Dameron is gay. So, like, what's the deal with him and Rey? What are we thinking? Is she his beard? Does she not know? Do we think Rey is gay too?"

"Rey is most certainly not gay," Phasma jumped in, delicately breaking apart a freshly opened Kit Kat, "If she was, she would have already graced my bed when I was single."

Bazine ignored a crude comment from Snap and hummed in agreement. "True. So that leaves two possibilities. Either this is a lavender marriage or Rey legitimately doesn't know her husband is gay."

"Or Dameron isn't gay!" Snap screeched again, clearly frustrated from everyone disregarding his opinion, "He's married to Rey. Rey is hot. So, logic dictates, he's tapping that! I mean, they have a kid!"

The room grew quiet for a few moments, mulling over Snap's words.

Bazine sighed. "Maybe Snap is right. Being metrosexual is definitely_ in_ right now." She nibbled on her wine-tinted lips, before adding, "But gay men also have kids with women. So. That means nothing."

"Has anyone seen the baby yet?" Phasma asked, between bites of the chocolate wafer, "It's been what, six months? Odd that Rey hasn't shoved baby pictures down our throat. God knows Kaydel did."

Beside her, Kaydel rolled her eyes. "I'm right here. And it's your baby too."

Phasma shrugged, unbothered. "Six months. Not a look at the baby. Do we think it's ugly? Or…" She smirked, her eyes alight with mischief, "What if the baby isn't Dameron's?"

"What a waste of good genes," Bazine bemoaned, pushing her plate away, "Even if Dameron is gay, he's hot as hell."

With an exasperated sigh, Phasma opened her handy journal and looked at her co-workers. "We'll settle this once and for all. We'll take a vote." After a pause for dramatic effect, she continued, "All in belief that Dameron is gay, raise your—"

Her voice tapered off as the door to the break room swung open, a hulking figure blocking the usually intense fluorescent light of the rest of the office. No one dared to speak as the ominous man strode forward, his dark eyes moving between each and every person in the room.

Ben Solo was an enigma. No one at the office understood him and not from a lack of trying. His hiring years ago was mysterious—all anyone could surmise from his past was that Lando was friends with his parents. Aside from_ that_ tidbit, it was widely believed he had a dog.

Nothing else was known.

He worked harder than anyone else. He never ate lunch in the break room. His computer password was at _least_ twenty-three characters.

He was smart, driven, but volatile.

Nothing about him made any sense.

And unfortunately for the office, he took his role as second-in-command_ very_ seriously.

"You all have been congregating in here for approximately one hour and forty-six minutes. I suggest you all return to your desks before I'm forced to write each and every one of you up," his deep voice grumbled, before glancing at the food covering the tables, "And clean up. We're not animals."

He turned on his heels and stormed out, seeming to ignore the waves of murmuring that replaced his presence.

"Leave it to Solo to ruin the party," Snap muttered darkly, angrily shoving a stack of empty plates into the trash can, "Why can't he just let us hang?"

Bazine jumped to her feet and sighed. "Agreed. He's in a mood. And his shirt was wrinkled. Not a good look."

As everyone emptied out of the break room, complaining about Solo's interruption and the four hours of the workday left, Finn lingered behind, his hands shaking with concern. When only Rose remained, always the dutiful one wiping down the tables, he rushed to the door. With his form pressed firmly against the wood, there was no way in or out of the tiny room.

Rose froze and stared at her friend, concerned by his behavior. "Uh, Finn? You ok?"

He swallowed. "I'm going to tell you something. Promise me that you won't judge me or tell anyone else."

"I would never," Rose responded immediately, stepping forward to touch his hand, "You're one of my best friends."

Finn flinched, pulling his hand away. "You're going to hate me."

Rose smiled sadly. "I won't. I promise. Just tell me what's going on."

He stared at her for a few moments, his lips trembling. Finally, the words escaped him in a fury. "Poe is gay and we've been having an affair for a year."

They stared at each other for a few moments, absolute silence between them. Finally, Rose managed to squeak out a "What?"

Finn bit his lip and looked down, the guilt evident across his handsome features. "There was an immediate spark between us. At Phasma's birthday party last year, it just sort of…happened."

Rose stared at him, her mouth agape. "What do you mean it _happened_? Where was Rey?"

He cleared his throat and shrugged. "I saw her go outside with Solo. I figured they were arguing or talking about work or something."

"So, you've been sleeping with Dameron for almost a year? He just had a baby, Finn!"

Finn bit his lip and looked away. "About that. I've seen the baby."

She looked unimpressed. "And?"

"And there's no way in hell that baby is half-Guatemalan!"

Rose pursed her lips. "Kids change with age, Finn. Hair color, skin color, and eye color will change. So could their kid's."

Finn snorted. "Rose, there's no way in hell this kid is Poe's."

"And how can you be so sure?" She shot back, surprisingly defensive. Rey was one of her friends too, and she didn't like the implication of Finn's comments.

Instead of immediately responding, Finn fished his phone out of his pocket and poked around on his screen. After a few moments, he held up the device.

Rose's mouth fell open.

The baby was adorable. Pale skin, big brown eyes, pudgy little cheeks, a headful of dark, wavy hair…

And the largest set of ears Rose had ever seen.

"Because we only know one person with ears like that," Finn explained, his eyes glancing back to the window of the break room, the blinds only partially obscuring the office space outside of them, "And he's sitting at his desk right now, probably writing us up for taking a long lunch."

Rose followed Finn's eyes, her mouth still agape.

She gasped as Ben Solo's big, brown eyes met hers.

"_Holy shit_."

-x-x-x-

_**Fifteen Months Previously…**_

Ben stood in the corner of the conference room, his lips pursed in displeasure. The only thing he hated more than holidays were holiday _parties_. Unfortunately for him, while his colleagues rarely took their jobs seriously, parties were on an entirely different playing field.

Could he get Kaydel to make copies in five minutes or Ackbar to schedule sales calls more than thirty minutes before they were meant to take place? No. But it only took Kaydel five minutes to hang streamers. Ackbar scheduled Secret Santa _weeks_ before the shopping deadline.

He may be a workaholic, but Ben understood it—he _did_—even if he didn't agree. He knew parties and office celebrations built comradery and togetherness. But he also didn't think that watching Snap get drunk and hit on Bazine or seeing his god father—his boss—wear his _sexy pants_ was a necessary part of that process.

That year's Christmas party was especially brutal.

From his corner, he continued to watch the friendly man make his rounds, perfectly coifed dark curls sitting on his perfect head, offering every one of Ben's co-workers he passed a perfect smile with a perfectly rehearsed greeting with a perfectly stiff handshake with his perfect gold wedding band on his stupidly, perfectly manicured finger—

Ben clenched his fists and forced himself to take a deep breath. Having a breakdown in the middle of the office Christmas party wasn't going to help anymore. Neither would taking Poe Dameron by the neck and squeezing it unlike it snapped in half, the man taking his last breath with bulging eyes and a purple face—

He really needed to see his therapist again.

But…

The past six months hadn't exactly been, well, _easy_.

His eyes immediately found his usual non work-related focus in the office. She stood by the present pile, laughing along to a funny story or a joke or who fucking knows with Finn and Rose, looking as beautiful as ever. With her hair half up, soft waves dropping to her shoulders, her golden skin wrapped delicately into a tight red dress, she was a fucking _dream_.

Until his eyes dropped to her sparkling wedding band, practically blinding him in the fluorescent light of the office.

Yeah. Losing Rey had hurt. Watching her date another man was unbearable. But watching her marry someone else?

Well, that had nearly killed him.

It was all his fault, too. According to his therapist, he had problems "_letting people in_". And commitment issues. A little bit of self-esteem problems too.

Which probably stood in direct contrast to the fact that Ben Solo had been called arrogant for years. And, well, Ben considered himself honest. He _was_ arrogant.

He thought highly of himself. He was the smartest, most hard-working, most efficient person in the office.

But he also didn't deserve to be happy.

Which is why when things were getting_ too_ good with Rey, too comfortable, he simply had to step away. Even though it broke him.

He certainly didn't expect that mere weeks after them ending their little love affair she'd show up to the Valentine's Day party with a State Senator on her arm. Poe Dameron was already making rounds discussing the sights he had set on an opening House seat in their district. He was charming, handsome, loved volunteering, and made a killer quiche.

Apparently, that was everything Ben wasn't.

By September, they were married.

Ben didn't go to the wedding. He wasn't a masochist. Had he shown up, he might have done something stupid like, oh, maybe murder the groom. Or destroy the cake. Instead, he stayed at his parent's beach house and got drunk with his father.

Certainly, a first for him, but he wondered if it would be the last.

Now, months later, Rey was a happy newlywed always talking about how wonderful Poe was. Anytime she needed to drop by Ben's desk to deliver an approved invoice, she'd find a way to bring her _husband_ up in conversation. Was Ben drinking coffee? Well, on their _honeymoon_ in Puerto Rico, Poe had bought months' worth of the delicious beans. Was Ben reading an update on their local sports teams? Well, Poe created a foundation to build baseball diamonds and soccer fields for at risk youths.

Was Ben breathing? Well, Poe was simply the most wonderful human being alive, and Rey made sure every word she spoke to Ben reiterated that.

It fucking stung.

But not as much as seeing her beautiful face on a daily basis.

And certainly not as much as seeing that ring on her finger.

He was knocked out of his stupor by the echoes of people yelling out "_Goodbye Poe_!" and wishing the man a happy holiday season. Ben immediately turned, watching the man depart, but curiously, without Rey by his side. Angry at himself for missing whatever had just transpired, he turned to his closest co-worker.

"Where's Dameron going?" He asked Phasma. Phasma was one of the few people he got along with in the office, although ever since she married Kaydel, she had softened a little bit. But unlike Kaydel, who was bouncing around the conference room, chatting with any and all her co-workers, Phasma was standing in the corner with Ben, nursing a spiked glass of eggnog.

She snorted and downed the rest of the glass. "He's involved in a local toy drive. They're packing up the truck tonight to donate in the morning, so he had to go."

Ben rolled his eyes, his grip tightening on his beer. "I see. So, he had a photo op?"

That made the blonde laugh. "Apparently." They stood in silence for a few moments, before Phasma added, "I'm surprised you showed up. Rumor had it you'd be eating babies or torching schools this holiday."

"I'm an advertising rep, not a demon." He sipped his beer and flinched, thinking over her words. "And who was talking about me? Wexley? Storm?"

Phasma nodded her head to the doorway. Ben watched as the silky red dress disappeared out of the conference room and towards the annex of the office, where the accountants sat. He cleared his throat and nodded.

"I see."

With quick strides, his beer was deserted as he followed the previously walked path, his fists aching to punch something. He wasn't sure if he was hurt, or pissed, or overreacting. On one hand, he knew it was a joke, but on the other, it hurt that Rey would say such things.

Did she have any right to talk about him after leaving him? After running off and marrying another man?

"_She didn't leave you_," his therapist would likely say with a stern shake of his head, "_You left her. If not physically, then emotionally._"

But _fuck_ that.

Before he knew it, he was in the annex, the door swinging shut behind him. Rey, who was digging through a bag on her desk, froze. It felt like slow motion as she finally turned around, meeting his furious gaze. She cleared her throat.

"Ben. Merry Christmas."

"Surprised to see me?" He responded with instead, stepping closer to the woman that still lit his body on fire, "I admit, I thought the buffet of children and school arson would take up most of the evening yet here I am."

Rey gave him a legendary eyeroll and crossed her arms. "It was a bloody joke, Ben. I know you fancy yourself to be some fucking Mensa member, but you never seem to understand humor."

He clenched his fists. "Humor means something is funny. Like your entire marriage to Dameron."

He was shocked by the words the moment they left his mouth. Maybe his few drinks had given him confidence. Or, maybe at this point, he knew he had nothing to lose.

"My marriage is _none_ of your business," She spat back, her voice angry.

But Ben laughed. "It is when you wear a dress like that. You're just begging to be fucked. Such a shame your husband ditched you when we have no shortage of mistletoe."

"He's taking care of his charity work!" She exclaimed, her voice _and_ fist shaking with fury.

"But he's not taking care of you, is he?"

His meaning seemed to knock the wind out of her. Her fist dropped and her red lips parted, matching the same surprise of her wide, hazel eyes. The way his pants tightened by just looking at her proved yet again how fucked up in the head he was.

He _really_ needed to see his therapist again.

"That's—that's not—" She sputtered, blinking quickly as she appeared to try to process her thoughts, "You don't know—"

"I can take care of you," Ben interjected instead, cutting off her words, "I can fulfill your every need."

Rey swallowed and just stared at him, her hazel eyes the only hint to her true struggle. A few seconds passed as they just simmered in each other's presence. It was beginning to make Ben wonder if he had made a grave mistake by opening his stupid mouth.

And just when he thought she'd scream at him, or hit him, or threaten to go to HR, she said six beautiful words.

"I'd like to see you try."

Then, he was on her.

It was muscle memory for him. Rough, passionate kisses, roaming hands, soft skin…

It was like nothing changed. Not when he fucked into her on her desk, uncaring about the possibility of any of his co-workers walking in. He simply set her on the wooden furniture, flipped that flimsy little skirt up, and fucked into her soaking wet pussy until she cried out into his neck.

It was like every one of their perfect, illicit meetings in the past. No one had known they dated. It upset him just as much as it egged him on. But he buried that away as he fucked her, just as he pretended he didn't see the massive diamond glittering on her finger.

Ben needed to savor every minute. The feelings of her hands tugging at his hair. The feeling of his lips exploring the exposed v of her chest until he could lick and kiss every inch of her perfect tits. The feeling of her wet, tight heat practically holding him hostage.

When her tight walls clenched around him, her cries morphing into muffled screams of orgasmic pleasure, he came so hard he could barely see when it was all over.

It was probably best that way, too. Because as soon as they were done moaning and basking in their post-orgasmic bliss, she fixed her dress and strolled out as if nothing had happened. Not a single word was said. She didn't even look back.

At that point, Ben figured he had stayed at the office party long enough. He said his goodbyes and hit the road. At least if he spent Christmas with his parents, he'd get some new socks and be able to get piss drunk with his father as much as he wanted.

It was exactly how he planned to spend his week off.

-x-x-x-

**Present**

Everyone was glaring at him. Their angry stares were positively lethal. They were viciously icy. Overtly cruel.

Personally, Ben liked being given the cold shoulder by his colleagues. It meant they wouldn't irritate him for the last half of the day. Of course, some of them were better at masking their dislike of his leadership than others.

Kaydel was quick to call him a dictator as she tossed away their empty pizza boxes. "_If Lando isn't here, why should we have to work?_" She had retorted, comically trying to show the much too big boxes into the much smaller trash bins, "_You're the only one that cares_."

Snap also had made his displeasure known. "_You know, maybe if you weren't such a dick, we'd invite you to our pizza parties."_

Phasma, one of his few sort-of friends in the office, had also piped in. Whether it was because she genuinely cared or because her wife put it up to her was to be seen. "_Do yourself a favor, Solo_," She had quipped, her eyes lighting up mischievously, "_I recommend a good fuck or a cold one to pull that stick out of your ass. Take some notes_."

Oh, if Phasma _only knew_.

He glanced away from his desk, his gaze moving towards the water cooler. Rey was refilling her water bottle, her entire body bent over in order to give her easier access to the waterspout. It also showcased her delicious ass to anyone that was watching.

The same ass he held between his hands not more than thirty minutes prior. He fucked her in one of the storage rooms on the ground floor of their building, her soft body spread across a shelf of printer paper and rubber bands. He pounded into her from behind, her soft cries muted from the hand he held over her mouth.

His idiot co-workers didn't realize that Ben knew they were having a party. He _welcomed_ it. It gave him and Rey an opportunity to sneak out for a quick fuck. But when he returned, of course he was going to put a stop to it. They still could thank him for letting them enjoy some of it.

Honestly, Ben had lost count of how many times he had fucked Rey within the last four months. After their spontaneous fuck at the Christmas party nearly a year and a half ago, they didn't touch each other for nearly another year. Rey and Dameron had a baby, and Ben convinced himself that he was never going to be with her again.

It was an exceptionally painful period in his life, watching her beautiful glowing form everyday in the office, laughing with her friends and rubbing her growing stomach. The baby was supposedly born premature, but since she was healthy, Ben had no interest in ever seeing it. He knew what Rey looked like and he knew what Dameron looked like.

He certainly didn't need to see proof of their union.

But something changed about two months after Rey gave birth to her son. While on maternity leave, she unexpectedly showed up to a huge birthday bash that Phasma threw for Kaydel. Ben was surprised to see her there, and even more surprised to see her without her trophy husband.

It didn't take long for them to start arguing about something. Nearly four months later, he had no memory of what it was that set them off.

He did, however, remember fucking her in the pool shed in Phasma and Kaydel's backyard. She made the same delicious noises and had the same perfectly soft skin. It was a dream come true for him.

And to his delight, it never stopped. Nearly four months later, they were still fucking whenever they had the chance. Mostly at work, but occasionally on the weekends. He had no complaints. He'd take her any way she allowed him to.

It was exactly why he was fine with the state of their relationship. Did he want everything with Rey? Of course. His dream was for her to leave her husband and be with him. The baby hurt, but he'd raise any man's child if it was Rey's. He loved her enough not to care.

But at the moment, for whatever reason, illicit sex was all she could—or was willing—to give him.

His therapist would probably skin him alive if he knew that Ben was still sleeping with new mother and very married Rey, but he simply didn't care. Being with her, even in just a sexual capacity, made him too happy to care. If Dameron got hurt in the process, so be it.

Rey eventually left the water cooler, giving Ben the opening to return to his work. She was pretty much the only thing that could distract him from working hard, so when she eventually disappeared to the annex, he was able to return to his current project.

Said focus only lasted for about another thirty minutes. Ben sat near the receptionist's desk—and therefore the entrance to the office. He normally didn't mind his position in the space, since it was so close to his boss's office, and also gave him a good view over most of his co-workers. It did, however, mean that whenever a guest showed up, he was one of the first people disturbed.

Today was no different when Dameron rushed in, a baby bag and a whiny baby in his arms. He breezed right past their receptionist—what an arrogant tool to think he was above signing in—and zeroed in on Ben.

"Oh, Ben, perfect!" Dameron stammered out, stopping beside Ben's desk. He dropped the baby bag to the ground and held out the squirming child. "Can you hold Skye? Traffic was awful and I really need to go to the bathroom. I don't think I'll make it to Rey."

Ben just blinked and wordlessly accepted the child, too slow to formulate words. Dameron uttered a desperate thank you before racing off towards their bathrooms.

Now holding a baby in his arms, Ben looked down at the child. The baby appeared to be dressed more like a Prince, ready to take on the British monarchy than for a visit to his mother's office. Dressed in a pair of linen blue overalls and a white collared shirt, Skye had better style than half the employees in Ben's office. A tiny sun was sewn across the chest of his outfit, and he wore a matching crotched hat on his delicate head.

He wasn't certain, but he could only assume that Rey made it herself. Ben cleared his throat and looked at Skye, taking in his big brown eyes and perfect button nose. He was adorable and shared so many of Rey's characteristics.

Ben cleared his throat and adjusted the child, continuing to stare. For reasons he couldn't explain, he found himself unable to look away from the child's big, doe-like eyes. It was as if the child was looking into his soul, or another cliché that would normally make him feel sick.

But he eventually was stirred out of his stupor as the child began to flail his arms. Ben worried that he would start crying, but he just continued to wave his arms, each movement causing a flutter of giggles to escape his lips. The noise was infectious, and suddenly he found himself laughing too.

Until Skye's arms lifted up and knocked that white crotchet cape off his head, exposing slightly sweaty, but very thick dark hair to the world. Oh, and a pair of massive ears that fanned away from his tiny baby head.

Ben's eyes widened as he took in the protruding ears, slightly red from sweating underneath his cap. With a shaky hand, he gently traced the shell of Skye's ear, earning a laugh from the giggling baby. When Ben did it again, Skye offered him a gummy smile and his chubby fist, the cap clenched within it. Ben graciously accepted the hat, still watching the child.

Looking back, he wasn't sure if it was the dark brown eyes, or the oversized ears, or the inexplicable thrumming in his blood, but suddenly, something clicked.

Ben just _knew_.

When Poe returned to reclaim Skye, babbling to the baby about visiting his mommy, Ben wordlessly handed the child over, his eyes still locked on his wiggling form. And when Poe walked away, Skye in his arms, his head perched over Poe's shoulder, he offered Ben a wave with his chubby fist.

Ben swallowed and waved back. Once they disappeared beyond the annex, intent to find Rey, he glanced at the crochet hat that remained at his desk. He slipped it into his briefcase, not willing to part with it.

Apparently, he and Rey needed to have a conversation.

His heart was beating too fast to be upset or angry.

Instead, he smiled.

-x-x-x-

**Two Days Later**

"You need to tell her." It was the same sentiment Finn had been voicing for months. Sure, he selfishly wanted Poe to himself, but Rey was also his friend. She deserved more.

Poe shifted and looked around the corner of the office they were huddled in. In the other end of the office, Finn's co-workers were celebrating their springtime bash, dining on pastel colored cupcakes and enjoying the typical American delicacies of the season—freshly grilled hamburgers, and steaks, and deliciously yellow corn on the cob.

But while Finn wanted to join the party, Poe's arrival had thrown him for a loop. These midday parties didn't usually call for family members of employees to show up, and yet, Rey's husband did. Except he wasn't just Rey's husband.

He was Finn's lover and had been for nearly a year. To call him such felt crass, but to call him anything more would be dishonest. Poe wasn't his boyfriend. He wasn't his.

No matter how much he desperately wished he was.

And he knew Poe held the same sentiment. He knew Poe was done hiding his true sexuality, or leading Rey on. They agreed nearly a month ago that Poe would leave Rey and they would finally come clean about their relationship. But four weeks had passed, and nothing had changed.

"I know that, okay?" Poe cursed and shook his head, "If it was that easy, I would have told her months ago."

Finn crossed his arms. "Look, I know this can't be easy for you. But it isn't for me either. I'm sleeping with my best friend's husband. That's not fair to her. You say you love me, but you're married to her. That's not fair to me."

"Yes, but there's Skye—"

Finn threw up his hands. "Poe! You can't possibly believe that child is yours!"

Poe pursed his lips and looked away. "I—"

"You told me you never slept together."

Finn couldn't begin to understand how a woman like Rey would be happy in a sexless marriage. If his thoughts on Skye's paternity were right, then she clearly wasn't and had sought out involvement elsewhere. How she ended up with the resident office grump was beyond him.

Poe swallowed and shifted. "I… I don't know, ok? Not that I remember. But there was this one night about eight months before Skye was born that I got really drunk. I got into an argument with a colleague about gay rights and just…" He shook his head and swallowed. "The next morning, I woke up with my shirt off and my pants unbuttoned. Rey was incredibly nice and understanding. So, I thought that maybe we…we had."

Finn blinked. "Don't fuck me with, Poe. You know if you had sex. Did you?"

There was a tense moment of silence until Poe finally responded. "No. We didn't."

"And you never questioned when Rey said she was pregnant?"

Poe rubbed at his neck. "I was so stunned I sort of…suggested it must have been that night and she just agreed. So…I went with it. I didn't want to…" He cursed and looked down. "I didn't want to accept the truth, ok?"

Finn shook his head. "This is some Finn and Quinn shit from_ Glee_, ok? You can't get pregnant from messing around in a hot tub, and you can't get pregnant from your gay husband getting super drunk and not fucking you."

"I wanted it to be mine, ok?" Poe shot back, his voice tired. "I wanted a baby. It was an opening and I turned a blind eye."

Finn frowned and grabbed his hand. "You can still be a part of Skye's life. But you have to come clean. This just proves what I thought all along. She's clearly been cheating on you too."

Poe swallowed. "Yeah. You're right."

"Of course, I am. Have you seen Skye? He looks just like Solo."

Poe's eyes widened to comical proportions. "What? What are you talking about?"

"Skye. He looks just like Ben. From the thick hair to the brown eyes to those big ears."

If they hadn't been in such a serious conversation, Finn may have laughed at the way Poe's mouth gaped open in shock. Instead, he squeezed his hand, wanting to offer him any sort of comfort he could.

"You're right." Poe choked out, staring at Finn, "He does look just like Solo. I never put it together but…"

Finn kissed his head. "It's ok. You and Rey can talk it through. Figure out a scenario where you can still be in Skye's life." He squeezed his hand again. "Honestly, I doubt Solo knows, and I can't imagine a grump like him wanting anything to do with his child's life."

Poe just nodded wordlessly. "Yeah. You're probably right."

-x-x-x-

Ben watched Rey eat her second cupcake, unable to look away. She had bits of yellow frosting around her mouth, and the tiny daisy decoration from the cake now rested in the corner of her hair. She was laughing along with Rose about something Skye did, and as usual, seemed to be in good spirits.

He certainly hoped so, since he had fucked her not two hours earlier.

Despite his discovery two days ago, he hadn't brought Skye up yet. Some of his hesitation was of course nerves, but the other part of it was just the lack of an opportunity to. They were always either fighting or fucking, and after their fucks, she was quick to disappear. When said sexual encounters usually happened at work, in storage closets, there wasn't much of an opportunity to sit around in their after glows, sharing pleasant pillow talk.

Not like they used to when they were together. She was a fixture in his bed. They'd lay awake after a night of sex, talking about anything and everything.

He missed it and he missed her.

Ben was frustrated when Dameron showed up, but lightened up when the man disappeared, citing a phone call he needed to take. Now, with Rey alone, he felt the urge to finally get the nagging feeling off his chest. Two days was long enough without getting the truth.

Especially when for the past two evenings, he spent an ungodly amount of time just staring at that crochet hat, thinking about the gurgling baby with bright eyes and the sweetest laugh.

He missed him already and he barely knew him.

So, when Rey strolled off, claiming she needed to grab something from her car, Ben followed her. He took the stairs two at a time and rushed into the parking lot, only resting when he spotted Rey at her car, digging in the back seat. He didn't want to scare her, so he waited patiently until she was finished.

When she turned around, a black sweater in her hands, she didn't say a word. She wasn't surprised to see him. Ben _was_ surprised, however, to see that she still had one of his old sweaters, but he couldn't bring that up. Not when there were more critical things at stake.

"Ben," She began, her sweet voice filling his ears, "It's too early to go again. I need to be able to walk."

He'd bury _that_ comment away for another time and place. "I want to talk."

She shifted and leaned against her car, watching him closely. "About what?"

"Skye." It was time to rip the band aid off. Even if he—god forbid—heard something he didn't want to hear. "He's mine." He also, given the circumstances, wouldn't be asking. He was stating a fact. He felt it in his gut and his gut was never wrong.

Rey cleared her throat and held the sweater to her chest. "What gives you that idea?"

"Do we have to play this game?" He asked, hoping she would just be honest with him. "I deserve to know and be in his life."

When Rey looked away, studying the crumbling pavement, he felt he had his answer.

"Why didn't you tell me?" While he did have one overwhelming feeling—joy—he also felt pain. Disappointment that he missed six months of his son's life. Anger that another man was filling those shoes. Hurt that she didn't tell him.

Suddenly, tears were streaming down her face. "I didn't know what to do, ok? I didn't want to hurt Poe. I'm married and I broke those vows easily." She shook her head and hiccupped, tears still dripping down her cheeks. "I'm thankful it brought me Skye but our night at the Christmas party should have never happened."

Ben took a step forward, his eyes locked on her teary gaze. "I disagree. And apparently you do too since you've gladly let me fuck you nearly every day for months."

Rey looked down, soft sniffles escaping her lips. "Yes, because I'm lonely and sad and I missed you."

He gently cupped her cheeks between his hands, drawing her face up to meet his eyes. "I've missed you since the moment I let you go. I thought I lost you. First the wedding, and then Skye. But you can still be mine. We can still be a family."

Rey continued to cry. "I'm such a terrible person. I lied about Skye. What am I supposed to do with Poe? He's my husband. I'm going to hurt him so much."

Ben pressed a gentle kiss to her head. "You're going to hurt him more if you don't say anything. He needs to know, and he needs to know now."

He pulled her into his arms and began to rub gentle circles into her back, letting her cry. He was still hurt, and it would take some time for them to move past her dishonesty. But he loved her—and his son—enough that he was willing to work through it.

Just the prospect of them as their own little family was enough to make him smile. Eventually, Rey stopped her sniffling and met his eyes, her own hazel gaze still watery.

"Do you want to be with me?" She asked quietly, her voice unsure.

It was a ridiculous question. It was all he had ever wanted.

"Yes. Forever. Until the moment I die." He kissed her head again and tightened his hold on her. "You're the only thing I've ever wanted. And now you and Skye are all I'll ever need."

Rey buried her face in his chest. They stood in the parking lot, holding one another for a few minutes, before she finally spoke again.

"I had this selfish wish on my wedding day that you'd barge in and stop the ceremony," She whispered, her words ticking at his chest where her lips were pressed against, "It was wrong and selfish but…I wanted it so badly. I convinced myself that the only way to move on from you was to accept Poe's advances. He was so sweet and charming and romantic that it was easy to marry him."

She nuzzled into him and clutched at his shirt. "But I didn't love him. I never did. But he seemed to want me when you didn't."

"I always wanted you." Ben muttered, his face buried in her hair, "I just got scared. I didn't deserve you. That's the only reason I let you go. I've loved you since the moment I met you."

Rey whimpered and shifted upwards, allowing herself to nuzzle into his neck. "I've never stopped loving you either."

Ben smiled and pulled away, only to kiss her. "Tell him tonight. Please. I need us together."

She stared into his eyes, her gaze filled with fear. For a treacherously long moment, he thought she was going to tell him no. Instead, she nodded slowly.

"Okay. Tonight."

-x-x-x-

When they returned to the party, things just seemed to drag on. Ackbar complained about the cook of the steaks—they were medium well, instead of his beloved medium rare—and Kaydel was up and about showing off photos of her and Phasma's daughter, a past time that usually drove the office insane. Apparently, even with classic cook-out foods, colorful cupcakes, and spring-themed cocktails at their disposal, they still managed to complain about something.

As for Ben, his focus was entirely on Rey and Dameron. Dameron seemed to talk to anyone and everyone, and the symphony of words like "campaign" and "jurisdiction" and "senate" were hard to ignore. Ben didn't want to push Rey or make her feel uncomfortable, but the longer it took for her to talk to Poe, the most anxiety filled his stomach.

At least a momentary distraction was offered by Bazine heckling Snap, waving her hands frantically at his half unbuttoned pastel pink shirt.

"You can't be serious!" She screeched, her face twisted up in disgust, "You cannot wear your shirt like that! If I did, the entire office would riot!"

Snap smirked and motioned to his very exposed and very hairy chest. "I'm not sure what you mean. Perhaps you could show me?"

Bazine looked rightfully murderous. When Lando strolled back into the office, holding a belated delivery of their fruit platter, Bazine set her sights on their boss. "Lando!" She cried, rushing to stand by the man as he set out the fruit dish, "Do you see Snap? Do you think it's fair for any of us to have to look at that hairy chest?"

"Don't forget the gold chain." Phasma quipped from the other side of the room, slurping away on probably her second cocktail, "I can't tell if he thinks he's part of the mafia or a K-POP star."

Lando sighed and turned around, looking between Snap and Bazine. "I don't see the problem," He began, his melodic voice capturing the attention of every person in their conference room, "I think the expression of one's sexuality is healthy. It's invited. It's exactly why I don't pick on Phasma and Kaydel for their constant hand holding, or Ben and Rey for their lunch escapades."

Suddenly, all ambient noise in the conference room disappeared. The sound of Ackbar scrapping a plastic fork against a paper plate, desperate to get the last bits of his potato salad, ceased. Kaydel stopped her incessant texting, her long nails no longer tapping against the screen of her smart phone. Rose, who was in the process of shaking a round of cocktails for Amilyn and Beau, simply set the shaker down, her eyes wide.

Ben could barely process his god father's words. First, how the hell did he know about he and Rey's nearly daily routine of fucking during their lunch? And second, even if he did know—could the man not read the room? He went to Rey's wedding and watched her for eight months of her pregnancy. He had to know she was in a relationship with someone who was very much not Ben.

Except this was his Uncle he was talking about and he truly had no idea what he did or didn't know. He still called Rose by Lily or Daisy on a bi-weekly basis.

Deciding to torture himself further, Ben took a glance around the room. Most people look aghast—Amilyn looked positively horrified, Snap's mouth had dropped open like a fish, and Ackbar looked downright pissed, but Ben figured that was because they were out of potato salad and not anything to do with Lando's casual comment.

Overall, most people look horrified. Bazine, however, was very clearly trying to film the situation—evidently, she expected a huge fight—and Phasma looked amused. Then of course there was Rey. The poor love of his life looked ready for the ground to swallow her alive. And Poe…

Well, Poe just looked embarrassed. Not the disgust or sadness Ben expected.

He was starting to think maybe more people knew about their infidelity than what was let on.

After nearly ten seconds of silence, no one knowing what to say or to do after Lando's casual comment, Phasma finally spoke. It was no surprise she was the only person in the office with the balls—or the obvious desire—to approach this news head on.

"Oh? What kind of lunch escapades are Ben and Rey going on? To the creamery, perhaps?" Phasma asked, ignoring a pointed cough from her wife beside her, "Perhaps to the meat man?"

Lando waved his hand, his lips still in a smile. Apparently, despite his age and wisdom, he still couldn't recognize that no one was as amused by his words as he was. "No, no, they're making sweet love. I can tell when a man has been loved. It's the only reason he ever shows up to our 2pm catch up with a smile on his face!"

Immediately, everyone turned their attention to Ben and Rey. They weren't standing together—they had an entire buffet table of cupcakes and fruit and brownies between them—but the attention of the office was locked in.

Rey swallowed and chanced a glance at Poe. When she did so, everyone watched with rapt attention. He was sure Bazine was filming, too.

"Is the senator a third during these sexcapades?" Phasma asked, finally letting the elephant in the room roam free, "Is the office grump a bit of a freak on the side?"

Rey squeaked, her face the shade of the ketchup that everyone had smothered on their burgers only an hour again. With a shaky step forward, she kept Poe's gaze. "Poe—" she choked out.

Ben hated that this was happening in front of everyone else. It was nobody's business. Hell, it wasn't even his. He wanted the conversation to happen—that was a sure thing—but it was a conversation only meant for Rey and Poe. Now Ackbar and Snap and Bazine would be fucking privy to every detail in their very complex relationship.

"I know about you and Solo," Poe interrupted, his face also reddened from the attention, "And I know Skye isn't mine."

This time, the room abrupted in gasps. Ben wished the peanut gallery would disappear. He knew this wasn't his conversation to have, but he also hated Rey being thrown to the wolves. So, he moved his way across the room until he stood behind her. With a comforting hand on her shoulder, he urged her on.

"I'm sorry I lied to you," She choked out, staring at Poe with teary eyes, "It was wrong, but I was trying to convince myself I was over Ben and I didn't want to hurt you—"

Poe shook his head and sighed. "You're not completely at fault. Deep down I knew he couldn't be mine, but I convinced myself it was possible anyways. I'm just as much to blame as you are."

"But I cheated on you—"

He cleared his throat, effectively cutting her off. "Yes, well, I've been cheating on you too."

The astonished gasps returned. He figured Bazine was going to have one hell of a video when this was all through.

Rey blinked, mouth agape. "You've been cheating on me? With who?"

Poe cleared his throat and glanced over to Finn, who appeared to be hiding behind the bar. "Finn. I'm gay."

The third round of gasps had Ben absolutely on edge.

"This just keeps getting better." Phasma whispered, rather loudly to her wife. The minute the words left her lips, Bazine turned and shushed her, before returning her attention to Poe and Rey.

Rey glanced over to Finn before looking back to Poe. "You're with Finn? You've been sleeping with one of my best friends?"

Poe cleared his throat and nodded. "Yes. I have. But we're in love and happy."

With a quick glance over her shoulder at Ben, Rey nodded. "Good. Ben and I are in love and happy."

"Good."

Rey and Poe stared at each other for another few moments, before they eventually met in the middle for a small hug.

"I love you, Poe," Rey said, holding him tightly, "I hope Finn makes you very happy."

"And I love you too. If Solo doesn't make you happy, or take care of Skye, I'll kick his ass."

When they parted and shared a friendly smile, Bazine scoffed and stuffed her phone into her pocket. "Are you serious?" She screeched, waving her hands frantically, "We get two cheating scandals, mistaken paternity, and Poe coming out of the closet and there's no yelling? No fighting? This is bullshit! You guys are so fucking boring!"

"Shut up, Bazine!" Rose yelled from across the bar, returning to her cocktail making, "Their lives aren't a fucking reality show."

Ben moved to Rey and pulled her into his arms, nuzzling into her neck. He pressed a soft kiss to her skin and hummed. "I'm sorry you had an audience for that."

She just grumbled and curled into him. "Yeah, well, at least it's done. I always thought that maybe Poe was gay, or asexual, but I guess I never thought he'd be with Finn." She smiled up at Ben, her once teary eyes full of life, "At least I know he's in good hands. Just like me."

"Oh, believe me, you're in plenty good hands."

And when Rey kissed him, things finally felt right.

-x-x-x-

The following month was a challenge. Ben moved to a new place to accommodate Rey and Skye, and just the process of moving was lengthy. His beloved Rey had lots of things, and with a seven-month old baby, those things seemed to multiply. Not to mention, Ben went a bit crazy spoiling his son. He wasn't alone either—his parents went absolutely nuts. Skye would have no shortage of toys for a _very_ long time.

Then, even once they were settled in their new home, there was plenty of legal red tape to jump through. Skye's birth certificate had to be petitioned in order for Ben to be listed as his biological father—which a lab test eventually proved what they already knew—and similar effort was needed to have his last name changed. Rey and Poe also began to process of separation and were advised to petition for an annulment given the circumstances.

There was plenty going on without the time needed for Ben to adjust to life with Rey and his son. Skye was teething too, and even though Rey disliked his middle of the night cries of pain, Ben happened to enjoy the opportunity to comfort him. Just sitting in a rocking chair, staring into the big brown eyes of his son, gave him the opportunity to make up for lost time.

The last big challenge was dealing with Poe's desire to be in Skye's life. Part of Ben wanted to say no—Skye was _his_ son, and Poe had the chance to be around him for the first six months of his life while Ben had not. But, when he considered Poe's role in all of this—effectively losing a child—and the fact that he had shown nothing but love and support for his son, Ben gave in.

So, it was decided that Poe would play the part of a de facto god father and would happily babysit or hang out with Skye whenever time worked for everyone involved. They also agreed to let Skye stay one weekend a month with Poe and Finn. Initially, Ben felt even three days a month without Skye was too long, but Rey wore him down.

She just had to remind him how difficult sleep and sex was with a baby. Those first three days without Skye—who he did miss and love—were _blissful_. They slept till noon, fucked for most of the day, ate whatever they wanted, and did it all again the next day.

The agreement worked for everyone involved. Poe knew that Ben was Skye's father and would be fulfilling that role, but he wasn't completely shut out of his life. It certainly helped Ben feel a lot less guilty about the entire thing.

And when Skye's first birthday came around—nearly six months after Ben and Rey were reunited—it was the happiest day of his life. In fact, the following week, when Poe and Finn would take Skye for the weekend, Ben already had the perfect trip planned.

Him and Rey at his parents' beach house, making love under the stars…

He'd use his grandma's ring to propose to his newly single woman.

And if she ended up pregnant with a little brother or sister for Skye?

Well, Ben certainly wouldn't complain.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**EXCITING NEWS! My second e-book is available on Amazon for purchase or borrowing through Kindle Unlimited. Check out my first two books:**

**The Golden Rule: An Enemies-to-Lovers Office Romance Novella: The Hollywood Chronicles Book 1**

**(Based on my Reylo two-shot, The Golden Rule!)**

**The Golden Boy: An Enemies-to-Lovers Celebrity Romance: The Hollywood Chronicles Book 2**

**(My newest release!)**

**Check out my website for more info and subscribe to my newsletter for updates!**

**And as always, thanks for reading!**

**-J**


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